James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 


The 

Howell  Collection 

OF   HISTORICAL 
MATERIALS 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


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Presented  by  Kay  Kyser 

And  his  Mother 

Emily  Royster  Howell  Kyser 

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i 897-193 i 


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THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 


The  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

PUBLISHED  UNDER  THE  DIRECTION  OF 

The  North  Carolina  Historical  Society 

J.  G.  de  Roulhac  Hamilton     )  p,. 
Henry  McGilbert  Wagstaff  J  c'aitors 

VOL.  14  No.  1 


CONTENTS 
THE  HARRIS  LETTERS 


JAMES  SPRUNT  HISTORICAL  MONOGRAPHS 

No.     1.     Personnel  of  the  Convention  of  1861. 

By  John  Gilchrist  McCormick. 
Legislation  of  the  Convention  of  1861.  , 

By  Kenl'p  P.  Battle. 
No.     2.     The  Congressional  Career  of  Nathaniel  Macon.    . 

By  Edwin  !Mood  Wilson. 
No.     3.     Letters  of  Nathaniel  Macon,  John  Steele,  and  William  Babby 

Grove,  with  Notes.  By  Kemp  P.  Battle. 

No.     4.     Letters  and  Documents  Relating  to  the  Early  History  of  the 
Lower  Cape  Fear,  with  Introduction  and  Notes. 
By  Kemp  P.  Battle. 
No.     5.     Minutes  of  the  Kehukex  Association,  with  Introduction  and 

Notes.  By  Kemp  P.  Battle. 

No.     6.     Diary  of  a  Geological  Tour  by  Elisha  Mitchell  in  1827  and 
1828.     Introduction  and  Notes. 

By  Kemp  P;  Battle. 
No.     7.     William  Richardson  Davie,  -A  Memoir. 

By  J.  G.  de  Roulhae  Hamilton. 
Letters  of  William  Richardson  Davie,  with  Notes. 
By  Kemp  P.  Battle. 
No.     8.     The  Provincial  Council  and  Committees  of  Safety  in  North 
Carolina.  By  Bessie  Lewis  Whitaker. 


THE  JAMES  SPRUNT  HISTORICAL  PUBLICATIONS 

Vol.     9.  No.  1.     The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  the 
Province  of  North  Carolina. 

By  D.  D.  Oliver. 
Correspondence  of  John  RusT  Eaton. 
Vol.     9,  No.   2.     Federalism  in  North  Carolina. 

By  Henry  M.  Wagstaff. 
Letters  of  William  Barry  Grove. 
Vol.   10,  No.  1.     Benjamin  Sherwood  Hedrick. 

By  J.  G.  de  Roulhae  Hamilton. 
Vol.   10,  No.   2.     Bartlett  Yancey.  By  George  A.  Anderson. 

The    Political   and   Professional    Career    of   Bartlett 

YaNcey.  By  J.  G.  de  Roulhae  Hamilton. 

Letters  to  Bartlett  Yancey. 
Vol.  11,  No.  l.     Cor.NTY  Government  in  Colonial  North  Carolina. 

By  W.  C.  Guess. 
Vol.  11.  No.  2.     The    North    Carolina    Constitution    of    1776    and    Its 
Miasms.  By  Frank  Nash. 

The  German  Settlers  of  Lincoln  County  and  Western 
North  Carolina.  By  Joseph  R.  Nixon, 

vol.   t2    No.  l.    the  Governor,  Council,  and  Assembly  in  Royal  North 
Carolina.  By  C.  S.  Cooke. 

Land  Tenure  in  Proprietary  North  Carolina. 
By  L.  N.  Morgan. 
Vol.  12,  No.   2.     The  North  Carolina  Indians. 

By  James  Hall  Rand. 
Vol.  13.  No.  1.     The  Granville  District. 

By  E.  Merton  Coulter. 
The  North  Carolina  Colonial  Bar. 

By  E.  A.  Alderman. 
Vol.  13.  No.  2.     The  Harrington  Letters. 

Edited  by  H.  M.  Wagstaff. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 


The  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 


PUBLISHED  UNDER  THE  DIRECTION  OF 


The  North  Carolina  Historical  Society 


J.  G.  de  Roulhac  Hamilton     )  -,. 
Henry  McGilbert  Wagstaff 


VOL.  14 


No.  1 


CONTENTS 
THE  HARRIS  LETTERS 


1916 

The  Seeman  Puinteei 

Durham.  N.  C. 


THE  HARRIS  LETTERS 

BY 
H.  M.  WAGSTAFF 


00 
CO 

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Of 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hil 


http://archive.org/details/harrislettersOOharri 


THE  PREFATORY  NOTE 

The  Harris  letters  which  appear  in  this  issue  of  the 
James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications  represent,  for  the 
most  part,  a  collection  of  the  letters  of  Charles  Wilson  Har- 
ris (b.  1771,  d.  ISO!)  to  his  uncle,  Dr.  Charles  Harris, 
and  to  his  brother,  Robert  Wilson  Harris.  They  were  do- 
nated by  William  Shakespeare  Harris,  a  son  of  Dr.  Charles 
Harris,  to  the  North  Carolina  Historical  Society  at  an  un- 
known date,  but  probably  before  the  Civil  War.  The  other 
Charles  Wilson  Harris  letters,  those  written  during  his  con- 
nection with  the  University  of  North  Carolina  (1795-1796), 
were  found  in  a  bound  volume  of  manuscripts  in  the  early 
faculty  records  of  the  University.  They  are  about  ten  in 
number,  and  along  with  them  have  been  inserted  two  Cald- 
well letters  to  Harris.  There  are  two  other  Harris  letters 
in  addition,  one  by  Robert  Harris,  father,  and  one  by  Rob- 
ert Wilson  Harris,  brother  of  Charles  Wilson  Harris.  The 
sources  whence  these  were  obtained  are  subjects  of  a  foot-note 
to  the  respective  letters.  The  chronological  order  has  been 
preserved  in  the  presentation  of  the  whole  series,  this  method 
appearing  better  to  reflect  their  interest  than  the  other  alter- 
native of  grouping  those  to  the  same  correspondent. 

The  name  "Harris"  is  perhaps  one  of  the  most  frequent 
in  North  Carolina.  This  must  have  been  true  at  a  very  early 
period  also,  since  the  name  covers  full  four  and  one-half 
pages  in  the  index  of  the  Colonial  and  State  Records.  The 
particular  Harris  family  from  which  Charles  Wilson  Harris 
sprung  was  a  very  prolific  one  and  has  a  large  number  of 
surviving  representatives  in  the  state  at  the  present  time. 
It  traces  its  descent  back  to  one  Edward  Harris  of  Wiltshire, 
England,  who  removed  to  Ayreshire,  Scotland,  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  17th  century  and  there  brought  up  a  large  family. 
One  of  his  sons,  Edward  by  name,  married  Flora  Douglas  of 
the  celebrated  Scotch  border  family  of  that  name.  Five  sons 
of  this  union,  James,  Samuel,  Thomas,  Richard,  and  Charles, 
appear  to  have  emigrated  to  America  sometime  in  the  second 


6  James  Spkunt  Historical  Publications 

quarter  of  the  eighteenth  century.  Some  of  them  settled  in 
Pennsylvania  and  the  others  in  Virginia.  Later,  probably 
about  1751,  Charles  came  from  Virginia  to  North  Carolina 
and  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land  on  Rocky  River  in  the 
Poplar  Tent  district  of  the  present  Cabarrus  County,  but  at 
that  time  in  Anson.  This  district  was  at  the  time  receiving 
a  strong  tide  of  Scotch-Irish  immigrants  and  soon  became  a 
populous  Presbyterian  stronghold.  This  Charles  Harris  was 
twice  married;  first  to  Jane  Mcllhenney  and,  second,  to 
Elizabeth  Baker.  From  the  first  marriage  was  born  in  order 
Robert,  Martha,  Jane,  Thomas,  and  James;  and  from  the 
second,  Charles  and  Samuel  Harris.  Robert  Harris,  the 
eldest  of  these  offspring  of  Charles  Harris,  inherited  "Mill 
Grove,"  the  home  seat  of  his  father  on  Rocky  River,  and 
became  a  man  of  fortune  and  influence  in  his  county.  He 
married  Mary  Wilson,  daughter  of  Zaccheus  Wilson,  a  signer 
of  the  "Mecklenburg  Declaration,"  and  of  the  same  strong 
Scotch  Presbyterian  stock  as  himself.  As  a  Revolutionary 
patriot  and  soldier  Robert  Harris,  "Esquire,"  served  in  Gen- 
eral Joseph  Graham's  command  until  he  lost  his  arm  in  the 
skirmish  at  Clapp's  Mill,  a  preliminary  incident  of  the  bat- 
tle of  Guilford  Court  Courthouse  in  1781.  With  slight 
Lopes  of  his  recovery,  his  companions  gave  him  into  the  care 
of  an  old  German  settler  and  wife,  with  the  injunction  to 
"care  for  him  well,  as  he  was  a  man  of  consequence,  and  they 
would  be  rewarded."  (See  Graham's  General  Joseph  Gra- 
ham and  His  Revolutionary  Papers,  pp.  335-337.)  Harris' 
dessendants  state  that  Mrs.  Harris  dreamed  her  husband  was 
wounded  and  on  the  faith  of  the  dream  traveled  with  a  slave, 
Jack,  as  her  only  attendant  from  her  home  on  Rocky  River 
to  the  S2ene  of  the  battle,  seventy-five  miles  away,  found  her 
wounded  spouse  with  his  caretaker,  nursed  him  to  conval- 
es2ence  and  brought  him  safely  home.  To  him,  by  this  stout- 
hearted wife,  were  born  three  children,  each  proudly  bearing 
"Wilson"  in  their  Christian  names.  They  were  Jane  Wilson 
Harris,  Charles  Wilson  Harris,  and  Robert  Wilson  Harris. 
Jane,  the  eldest,  married  Nathaniel  Alexander,  son  of  John 
McKnit  Alexander,  secretary  of  the  "Mecklenburg  Conven- 


The  Harris  Letters  7 

tion."  They  had  nine  children  and  numerous  descendants 
survive.  Charles  Wilson  Harris  was  born  in  1771,  and 
Robert  Wilson  Harris  in  1779.  Their  mother  died  a  few 
years  after  the  Revolution,  their  father  subsequently  marry- 
ing the  widow  of  General  William  Lee  Davidson,  who  fell  in 
the  Revolution.  Robert  Harris  lived  to  a  ripe  old  age,  dying 
in  1S08  and  lies  buried  at  Poplar  Tent  Church,  where  he  was 
for  many  years  ruling  elder. 

Charles  Wilson  Harris  graduated  at  Princeton  in  1702 
and  was  awarded  the  Mathematical  oration.  He  then  spent 
one,  or  two,  years  with  his  half-uncle,  Dr.  Charles  Harris,  at 
"Favoni,"  the  home  of  the  latter  upon  an  estate  adjoining 
that  of  Robert  Harris  and  part  of  the  original  property  of 
the  eldest  Charles  Harris.  Here  he  applied  himself  to  the 
study  of  medicine  under  his  uncle's  guidance,  apparently 
with  the  intention  of  entering  that  profession.  Nevertheless, 
in  1795,  at  the  date  of  his  election  to  the  tutorship  of  Mathe- 
matics in  the  University  of  North  Carolina,  he  was  teaching 
in  Prince  Edward  County,  Virginia.  Llis  letters  thereafter, 
with  the  notes  subjoined,  sufficiently  outline  his  life  and 
services.  They  disclose  a  character  of  worth  and  dignity. 
At  twenty-five  years  of  age  he  was  presiding  over  the  fortunes 
of  the  state's  infant  University  and  in  this  role  he  manifests 
a  maturity  unusual  even  in  that  period  of  our  state  and 
national  life  in  which  abilities  ripened  early.  The  trustees 
relinquished  his  services  with  great  reluctance.  His  seven 
years  of  life  after  entering  upon  the  practice  of  law  at  Hali- 
fax were  filled  with  earnest  and  successful  endeavor  and 
undoubtedly  would  have  been  crowned  with  high  achieve- 
ment but  for  his  early  death. 

The  editor  wishes  to  express  his  appreciation  and  thanks 
to  Mrs.  Maud  Craig  Matthews,  of  Atlanta,  Georgia,  and  to 
Mrs.  Atwell  C.  Mcintosh,  of  Chapel  Hill,  North  Carolina, 
great-grand  daughters  of  Robert  Wilson  Harris,  for  their 
kindness  in  placing  at  his  disposal  certain  of  their  family 
records  that  bear  upon  the  genealogy  of  the  Harris  family. 

H.  M.  Wagstaff. 

Chapel  Hill,  K  C,  Jan.  15,  1910. 


THE  HARRIS  LETTERS 


IL\TCLE, 

I  was  not  a  little  diverted  with  the  Rev'd.  Robinson,  my 
partner  in  teaching,  when  a  few  days  since,  he  proposed  in  a 
serious  way  that  I  should  study  divinity  and  settle  on  some 
glebe  in  Virginia.  The  inducements  I  need  not  mention. 
He  placed  them  in  as  flattering  a  view  as  possible.  When  he 
could  not  bend  me  to  his  will ;  for  the  promise  of  a  Bishopric 
in  this  county  could  not  induce  me  to  trouble  myself  with 
these  nonsensical  Church  preferments;  he  turned  off  his 
proposal  by  saying  that  I  ought  to  study  divinity  in  some 
measure,  it  contains  the  best  system  of  morality,  and  moral- 
ity is  necessary  to  a  man,  let  his  calling  in  life  be  what  it  may. 
So  it  is  with  the  world.  Every  one  will  tell  you  his  knowl- 
edge is  necessary,  no  matter  what  business  you  follow.  The 
lawyer  as  well  as  divine  repeats  a  long  tale  to  the  intended 
physician,  each  in  favor  of  his  own  profession,  the  former 
of  the  advantage  the  study  of  law  may  be  to  him.  The  great 
Blackstone  says  a  knowledge  of  law  is  necessary  to  a  phy- 
sician, that  he  may  be  useful  to  families  upon  sudden  emer- 
gencies, in  drawing  up  the  formal  part  of  last  wills  and  testa- 
ments. Great  encouragement  indeed  for  one  who  has  s:arce- 
ly  time  to  perfect  the  study  of  medicine,  to  set  into  the 
perusal  of  endless  commentaries,  reports,  statutes,  etc.  But 
without  so  much  preparation  I  have  almost  determined  to  go 
at  once  to  physic.  When  I  first  undertook  my  present  busi- 
ness I  expected  it  and  my  professional  study1  would  agree, 
but  it  is  otherwise.  Next  winter  is  the  time  appointed  in 
my  own  mind  for  beginning  on  this  new  study.  I  shall  ac- 
knowledge with  a  great  deal  of  gratitude  any  directions  you 
may  transmit  me.  What  are  made  the  rudiments  of  this  art 
and  what  branches  are  generally  entered  upon  first?  I  may 
at  a  leisure  hour  look  over  some  of  them. 

The  murder  of  the  king  of  France  cannot  be  easily  for- 
gotten.2    His  fate  is  lamented  by  almost  all  ranks  of  people. 


10  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

Aristocrats  pity  him  sincerely  and  the  Democrats  think  he  de- 
served a  better  end.  The  zealous  protestant  and  avaricious 
merchant  alone  find  their  account  in  his  death.  The  former 
confesses  the  king's  death  was  unrighteous,  yet  adds  that  in 
the  hand  of  God,  it  may  be  the  means  of  advancing  the  cause 
of  religion,  and  crushing  the  power  of  the  pope.  The  latter 
wishes  the  perpetrators  of  the  murder  may  be  repaid  in  their 
own  coin,  that  their  remittances  may  be  signed  with  their 
own  blood,  adding  that  the  king  was  a  good-hearted  fellow, 
loved  good  eating  and  drinking.  The  very  demand  of  his 
table  was  an  encouragement  to  merchandise.  Yet  the  com- 
motions occasioned  by  his  death  will  enhance  the  value  of 
American  produce  in  Europe,  and  American  bottoms  alone 
will  have  an  unmolested  navigation  in  the  adjacent  seas.  By 
a  calculation  from  the  time  of  declaring  war  between  Eng- 
land and  France,3  few  European  vessels  will  be  expeeted  in 
our  ports  after  the  10th  of  next  month.  The  forces  of  France 
as  voted  by  the  National  Convention,  will  consist  during  this 
summer  of  500,000  men. 

I  wrote  to  Edwin  Reese4  immediately  after  my  return 
but  have  received  no  answer.  I  cannot  suppose  my  letter  has 
misearried  because  I  have  reeeived  answers  to  some  that 
were  sent  with  it. 

Your  humble  servant, 

Charles  W.  Harris, 

Mecklenburg. 
Dr.  Chas.  Harris,  April  28,  1793. 

My  love  to  Aunt  Sally  and  Peggy. 


1  At  this  date  Harris  intended  to  enter  upon  the  study  of  medicine, 
doubtless  inspired  by  the  influence  of  his  uncle,  Dr.  Charles  Harris. 

-Louis  X\  I  was  sent  to  the  guillotine  the  21st  of  January,  170.'!.  The 
news  had  reached  America  in   late  Febri  ary. 

:!  France  declared  war  against  England  the  1st  of  February,  1703,  ten 
days  after  Louis  XVl's  execution. 

4  Son  of  Jane  Harris  and  Rev.  Thos.  Reese  and  therefore  first  cousin  of 
Charles  Wilson  Harris.  Edwin  Reese  graduated  at  Princeton  in  the  class 
of  1794  and  was  a  student  at  the  date  of  this  letter. 


The  Harris  Letters  11 

Dear  Uxcle  : 

I  have  just  come  from  P.  Edward  which  place  I  left  in 
tip-top  spirits,  expecting  on  my  return  to  rind  at  least  three 
or  four  letters  in  Petersburg.1  However  I  had  the  pleasure 
of  seeing  Mr.  Bruce2  from  Guilford  from  whom  I  heard 
mu  'h  of  the  public  and  a  little  of  the  private  affairs  of  your 
county.  He  told  me  that  Maj.  Harris3  (I  suppose  Thomas) 
made  a  very  respectable  opposition  to  the  election  of  Mr. 
Locke.4  I  am  not  acquainted  with  the  foundation  of  this 
gentleman's  popularity  which  seems  to  be  so  extensive.  I 
wish  he  may  answer  his  constituents'  expectations,  but 
pray  that  he  may  never  be  so  successful  in  adopting  sangui- 
nary me  sures  for  the  regulation  of  our  great  union  as  he  has 
been   in  the  regulation  of  his  private  affairs,  otherwise  we 

shall  all  be  d wags,  deserters  of  the  general  cause  as 

soon  as  we  are  able  to  think  for  ourselves.  By  the  s.rme  gen- 
tleman, I  was  certified  that  Sam'l.  Caldwell5  has  had  the 
good  fortune  to  pick  from  the  top  of  Mt.  Fairview  that  full- 
blown    mest    beautiful,    and    only    remaining    flower.    Miss 

A .     I  fear  that  while  he  has  free  access  to  so  fair 

an  angel,  he  will  often  evade  these  wars  which  a  min- 
ister from  his  profession  has  striven  to  wage  against  the 
world,  the  flesh  &  the  D-v-1  himself.  He  is  a  gentleman 
who  has  hitherto  fought  with  a  great  deal  of  courage  and 
success  ;  And  if  we  judge  from  his  perseverance  he  is  im- 
pelled by  no  small  force  to  the  support  of  the  cause  he  has 
undertaken.  But  Mechanics  (if  not  daily  experience)  teach 
us  that  any  force  may  be  overcome  by  the  application  of  a 
proper  power. 

A  spe  tacle  of  weeping  has  lately  called  the  attention  of 
the  Yii  niars.  A  sail  of  300  vessels  from  Cape  Francais 
contain ing  the  remains  of  the  wretched  inhabitants  of  that 
place.7  The  towns  of  Richmond,  Wm.burg  and  Norfolk 
were  liberal  enough  to  advance  near  6,000  Dol.  for  their 
immedia  e  relief.  I  would  have  been  at  Norfolk  at  the  very 
time  this  fleet  arrived  where  I  had  an  appointment  to  meet 
Mr.  Robinson  but  was  prevented  by  a  great  inflammation  in 


12  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

my  eyes  occasioned  by  the  excessive  heat  of  the  weather  in 
which  I  rode  from  P.  Edward.  I  have  been  studying  anat- 
omy, but  not  as  a  physician,  it  is  very  pleasing  and  highly 
worthy  the  particular  notice  of  anybody  who  reads  for 
amusement,  or  general  information.  The  greatest  difficulty 
in  learning  must  be,  I  presume,  the  majority  of  their  names 
infer  origin,  insertion  and  uses. 

Write  to  me  as  soon  as  possible,  and  you  will  not  find  any 
neglect  in,  Dr.  Sir, 

Your  nephew,  & 

most  humble  servant 
July  30,  1793  Charles  W.  Harris. 

Doctor  Charles  Harris, 

Since  I  wrote  to  you,  a  letter  from  Cousin  Edwin  dated 
about  May  1st  came  to  hand  by  post.  He  was  well,  had  be- 
come a  whig,  and  is  very  much  attached  to  the  place,  a  sure 
sign  of  diligence.  College  never  pleases  an  idler.  He  hates 
his  tutors  and  even  the  very  ground  he  is  confined  to. 

Doctor  Charles  Harris,  Esq. 
Cabarrus 

No.  Carolina. 


1  Petersburg  was  on  the  regular  stage  route  from  Philadelphia  southward. 

-  Probably  George  Bruce,  member  of  the  general  assembly  from  Guilford, 
1798-1 J  01. 

-Major  Thomas  Harris,  brother  of  Robert  Harris  and  uncle  of  Charles  \V. 
Harris.  He  was  a  brave  Revolutionary  officer  of  the  Continental  line  and 
fought  under  Washington  at  Monmouth  and  Trenton.  Transferred  South, 
he  was  severely  wounded  and  taken  prisoner  upon  Gates's  defeat  at  Camden 
in  August,  1780.  In  17'.):-!  he  was  Federal ist  candidate  in  his  district  against 
Mattl  ew    Locke,   Republican,   but   was  defeated. 

4  Matthew  Locke,  nf  Rowan,  member  of  the  3rd,  4th  and  ."th  Congresses, 
1793-1 7G1).  He  was  now  at  an  advanced  age  (born  in  17':0,  died  18uii  and 
had  been  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  North  Carolina  during  her  transition 
from  colony  to  state.  He  was  an  active  participant  in  the  Regulator  troubles 
of  1770-71.  at  which  date  he  was  county  member  from  Rowan  in  the  Colonial 
Assembly,  serving  in  that  capacity  until  177.1.  In  tne  latter  year  he  b  came 
a  member  of  the  3rd  Provincial  Congress  of  North  Carolina  and  was  likewise 
a  member  of  the  4th  ard  oth.  In  the  last  he  assisted  at  the  construction  of 
our  first  state  constitution  in  1776. 

■"'  Samuel  C.  Caldwell,  son  of  Rev.  David  Caldwell  of  Guilford.  He  was 
born  in  1768,  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  presbytery  of  Orange  at  nineteen 
years  of  age,  and  in  February,  1702,  became  pastor  of  Sugar  Greek  and  Ho  e- 
well  churches  in  Mecklenburg  county.  He  served  the  Sugar  Creek  Church  con- 
tinuously for  thirty-five  years  until  his  death  in  1826,  being  one  of  the  best 
beloved  and  most  useful  men  of  his  day.     He  married  Abigail  Paine  Alexander, 


The  Harris  Letters  13 


daughter  of  John  McKnit  Alexander,  signer  of  the  "Mecklenburg  Declaration" 
and  secretary  of  the  convention. 

"  Foote's  Sketches,  p.  195,  show  that  during  Caldwell's  "first  ministrations 
in  these  congregations  (Hopewell  and  Sugar  Creek)  it  pleased  God  to  send  a 
reviving  time,  in  corsequence  of  which  there  were  upward  of  seventy  joung 
comir unicants  admitted   to  the  Lord's  Table  in  one  day." 

1  These  were  French  colonial  refugees  fleeing  from  Cape  Francais  (now 
Cape  Haytien)  on  the  north  coast  of  the  island  of  San  Domingo.  In  1T'.)1 
the  slaves  of  Ilayti,  France's  most  profitable  colony,  inspired  by  the  ideas 
of  the  French  Revolution,  rose  in  rebellion  against  their  masters  and  so 
overwhelming  was  their  superiority  in  numbers  they  soon  had  the  mastery. 
Horrible  things  were  done  in  the  island  until  Toussaint  L'Ouerture,  by  his 
genius  as  statesman  as  well  as  warrior,  came  to  the  head  of  the  movement 
and  wrought  a  semblance  of  order  Into  the  land.  Many  of  the  fleeing  French 
colonials  found  safety  in  the  smaller  islands  of  France  in  the  Windwards  : 
many  took  shelter  in  Cuba  under  the  sovereignty  of  Spain  :  many  others  came 
to  the  continent.  The  body  referred  to  above  was  perhaps  the  largest  single 
group  that  reached  our  shores,  though  many  of  them  later  went  to  Louisiana 
(then  a  Spanish  possession)  where  they  joined  other  smaller  bodies  that  had 
made  direct  for  New  Orleans. 


University 
April  10th  1795. 

Dr.  Sir,  We  have  begun  to  introduce,  by  decrees  the 

regulations  of  the  University,1  and  as  yet  have  not  been  dis- 
appointed. There  is  one  class  in  Natural  Philosophy  & 
Geography  &  four  in  the  Languages — 

The  constitution  of  this  college  is  on  a  more  liberal  plan 
than  any  in  America,  &  by  the  amendments  which  I  think  it 
will  receive  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  trustees,  its  usefulness 
will  probably  be  much  promoted.  The  notion  that  true 
learning  consists  rather  in  exercising  the  reasoning  faculties, 
&  laying  up  a  store  of  ussful  knowledge,  than  in  overloading 
the  memory  with  words  of  a  dead  language,  is  becoming  daily 
more  prevalent — It  appears  hard  to  deny  a  young  Gentleman 
the  honour  of  a  College,  after  he  has  with  much  labour  & 
painful  attention  acquired  a  competent  knowledge  of  the 
Sciences;  of  composing  &  speaking  with  propriety  in  his  own 
language,  &  has  conned  the  first  principles  of  whatever  might 
render  him  useful  or  creditable  in  the  world,  merely  because 
he  could  not  read  a  language  2000  years  old.  Tho'  the  laws  at 
present  require  that  the  Latin  &  Greek  be  understood  by  a 
graduate — they  will  in  all  probability  be  mitigated  in  this 
respect.  These  old  forms,  "which  have  been  sanctioned  by 
time  but  not  by  utility"  ought  to  be  dispensed  with.     I  have 


14  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

lately  found  many  good  hints  on  education  in  a  book  en- 
titled the  rights  of  woman. — a  book  of  very  great  merit,  the 
production  of  an  original  genius — &  penned  in  such  a  strong, 
masterly  style  that  you  would  scarcely  believe  it  the  work  of 
a  woman — For  we  are  taught  to  believe,  by  many  able  writers 
&  tolerable  accurate  observers  of  mankind  that  the  natural 
weakness  of  a  woman's  body  extends  to  her  mind,  &  becomes 
characteristic  of  her  thoughts  &  words  as  well  as  of  her 
actions.  Miss  Mary  Wollstonecraft  is  the  lady  born  effectu- 
ally to  rectify  these  misrepresentations  from  which  so  much 
evil  has  spring.  Miss'  intention  is  to  bring  about  a  total  re- 
form in  the  education  of  women — .  But  takes  occasion  to 
speak  of  the  errors  in  the  present  plan  of  teaching  young 
men  &  Boys  in  Europe.  "The  memory"  says  she  "is  loaded 
with  unintelligible  works,  to  make  "askew  of,  without  the 
understanding's  acquiring  any  distinct  ideas;  but  "only  that 
education  deserves  emphatically  to  be  termed  cultivation  of 
"mind,  which  teaches  young  people  how  to  begin  to  think." 
She  effectually  over  throws  Chesterfield's  plan  of  bringing 
up  boys.  The  amendments  which  she  proposes  are  too  Num- 
erous to  be  detailed  in  a  letter,  but  are  such  as  do  the  greatest 
honor  to  the  authoress  &  may  be  highly  beneficial  to  man- 
kind     That  there  is  much  wrong  in  the  old  manner  of 

educating  is  plain  &  whatever  alterations  will  be  made  in  our 
University  will  be  made  by  those  who  can  be  actuated  by  no 
other  principle  than  general  utility — At  present  we  find 
much  difficulty  in  procuring  books  -  The  trustees  have  or- 
dered 200  Dol.  to  be  expended  for  that  purpose;  but  it  is 
very  uncertain  when  the  Books  will  arrive;  Dr.  Williamson2 
is  commissioned  to  purchase  &  he  is  so  totally  engaged  about 
his  own  book3  which  he  is  preparing  for  the  press,  that  he 
may  forget  others  of  less  importance  -  -  Col.  Moore4  presents 
us  with  Globes  Mr.  Benehan5  with  an  air  pump  as  soon  as 
it  can  be  procured  -  We  will  shortly  have  an  Electrical  Ma- 
chine &  other  trifles. 

Our  society  is  not  so  good  at  this  place  as  we  could  wish. 
My  only  resort  is  to  Mr.  Ker  who  makes  ample  amends  to  me 


The  Harris  Letters  15 

for  the  want  of  any  other  -  he  is  a  violent  Republican  &  is 
continually  deprecating  the  Aristocratical  principles  which 
have  lately  prevailed  much  in  our  Executive.0  The  debates 
on  self-created  societies"  has  brought  to  light  many  unrepub- 
lican  principles  that  have  been  secretly  growing  in  the  bosom 
of  our  government.  The  Revd.  Stanhope  Smith8  has  in  the 
last  winter  become  a  politician  -  He  declaims  against  Liber- 
tinism in  politics  as  being  attended  by  no  less  an  evil  than 
Atheism  -  -  Smith  has  been  long  known  to  be  an  aristocrat  & 
he  is  not  a  man  of  such  conciliating  manner  as  to  have  avoided 
the  creating  some  personal  enemies.  A  writer  styled  Arbiter 
in  Oswald ['s]  paper9  is  not  delicate  in  his  remarks  on  the  vice- 
president  &  is  indeed  illiberal  in  some  general  reflections  on 
the  Clergy  -  -  Smith's  sermon  referred  to  by  Arbiter  on  the 
subjects  of  national  Gratitude  lies  on  my  table  -  It  has  many 
fine  turned  periods ;  many  fine  thoughts  -  But  besides  Mr. 
Arbiter's  objections  -  His  description  of  the  present  govern- 
ment is  too  highly  coloured  to  be  the  copy  of  a  human  fabri- 
cation, his  Encomium  on  the  President  is  quite  fulsome. 
Tho'  he  be  the  greatest  man  in  America,  it  smePs  strong  of 
Brittish  seasoning.  In  page  23  he  says  "I  see  him  like  a  rock 
in  the  midst  of  the  ocean,  receive  unshaken  all  its  waves, 
violence,  intrigue,  faction,  dash  themselves  to  pieces  against 
him,  &  fall  in  empty  murmers  at  his  feet."  — 

I  have  been  engaged  in  such  a  manner  since  I  arrived 
here,  that  I  have  done  but  little  for  myself;  Blackstone's 
lmo.  Vol.  is  nearly  finished  but  the  remaining  vol.  will  re- 
quire much  more  time  and  attention.  I  wish  to  ground  my- 
self well  in  the  principles  of  Law,  yet  have  made  no  pro- 
vision for  supplying  books  of  a  proper  kind.  I  have  in- 
terested myself  much  in  the  education  of  my  brother;10  he  is 
now  growing  fast  &  receiving  none  of  those  improvements 
which  he  ought.  I  could  not  prevail  with  my  father  to  let 
him  come  to  this  place.  I  wish  you  would  again  mention  it 
to  him  in  a  way  that  you  may  think  proper;  it  can  scarcely  be 
pecuniary  want  that  hinder  his  complying  with  my  request. 
Nor  can  it  be  I  hope,  any  distrust  of  my  principles,  as  I  have 


16  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

heard  suggested ;  he  &  I  have  ever  been  very  free  in  speaking 
on  tenets,  &  I  never  observed  any  great  degree  of  disappro- 
bation.   If  the  latter  be  the  cause  I  have  no  more  to  say  -  -  . 
Please  send  me  your  communications  by  every  opportunity. 
I  am  yours 
with  much 
respect 

-,-.     L      ~„     i      w  Charles  W.  Harris. 

Doctor  Charles  Harris. 

Aunt  Sally  will  please  accept  of  my  best  wishes  for  her 
happiness  &  Mrs.  Ker11  has  particularly  requested  that  her 
respects  may  be  received  thro'  the  medium  of  my  Letter,  tho' 
never  acquainted  personally  with  aunt,12  by  hearsay  she  is 
interested  in  her  welfare. 

Doctor  Charles  Harris 
Cabarrus  County. 


1  Tho  University  was  formally  opened  the  15th  of  January,  1705,  with 
the  Reverend  David  Ker  the  presiding  and  only  professor.  The  frst  stu- 
dent, Ilinton  James,  of  Wilmington,  arrived  the  12th  of  February.  The  num- 
ber reached  forty-one  by  the  end  of  the  term,  the  Monday  after  the  10th 
of  July,  when  the  first  vacation  began.  Ker  had  been  chosen  by  the  trustees 
in  January,  1704,  to  launch  the  institution.  He  was  a  Presbyterian  minister, 
then  residing  in  Fayetteville.  He  was  a  recent  Scotch-Irish  immigrant  and 
had  received  his  education  at  Trinity  College,  Dublin.  Harris  had  be  n 
chosen  in  March  to  tutor  in  mathematics  and  was  just  now  assuming  his 
duties.  The  "regulations"'  referred  to  were  a  "Plan  of  studies  and  By-Laws." 
reported  by  a  Committee  of  the  Trustees  and  ratified  by  the  board,  January 
10.  1,04.  According  to  the  plan,  instruction  in  the  new  institution  for  the 
time  should  be  in  belles-lettres,  the  Hnjuiages,  particularly  TSngliciu,  a  iciciit 
ard  modern  history,  botany,  agriculture  (theory  and  practice),  the  principles 
of  architecture,  astronomy,  and  natural  philosophy  by  the  experimental 
method.  Dr.  Battle  attributes  (History  of  the  University  or  North  Carolina, 
Vol.  1,  p.  40 1  the  virtues  of  this  well  balanced  plan  to  the  influence  of  Dr. 
Samuel  E.  McCorkle.  chairman  of  the  committee  on  a  "Plan  of  Studi-s." 
and  to  Dr.  Hugh  Williamson,  probably  the  most  enthusiastic  member,  Davie 
excepted.  It  is  also  a  matter  of  interest  that  Harris,  the  second  teacher 
chosen,  was,  as  shown  by  the  context  of  his  letter,  so  thoroughly  in  sympathy 
with   the  practical   character  of  the  curriculum. 

-  Dr.  Hugh  Williamson,  a  resident  of  Edenton  and  member  of  the  board 
of  Trustees  of  the  University.  He  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  1785  :  graduated 
at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  1757  :  professor  of  mathematics  in  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania,  1760  64,  resigned  and  studied  medicine  in 
Edinburgh,  Scotland:  settled  for  practice  in  Philadelphia  in  1772.  Having 
removed  to  North  Carolina,  Williamson  in  1782  represented  the  borousjh  of 
Edenton  in  the  state  Assembly  and  in  the  same  year  was  chosen  a  member  of 
the  Continental  Congress,  serving  first  to  1785  and  again  from  1787-1788. 
He  was  a  delegate  to  the  Philadelphia  Convention  and  signed  the  completed 
Constitution,  and  was  a  representative  in  Congress  under  the  Constitution 
from  1700  to  1793.     He  died  in  1819,  then  resident  in  New  York. 


The  Harris  Letters  17 

3  Probably  Williamson's  "Climate  of  America,"  published  In  1811;  or  his 
"History  of  North   Carolina,"   published   in    1S12. 

♦Alfred  Moore,  member  of  the  board  of  Trustees,  1T8'.)-1807,  a  Revolution- 
ary patriot  and  commander  of  North  Carolina  Continental  forces  at  Charles- 
ton during  the  British  attack  upon  that  port  in  177G.  In  1781-82  he  raised 
and  commanded  a  volunteer  force  to  assist  in  harassing  Cornwallis  in  h;s 
marches  through  the  state.  In  1T!)8  he  was  elected  a  judge  of  the  Superior 
Court  of  North  Carolina,  and  in  the  following  year,  upon  the  death  of  Justice 
James  Iredell  of  the  T'nited  States  Supreme  Court,  Moore  was  appo'nted  by 
President  Adams  to  fill  his  place.  lie  served  until  180">,  resigning  on  account 
of  ill  health,  and  died  in  1810. 

3  Richard  Bennehan,  of  Hillsborough,  an  early  friend  of  the  University  and 
a  trustee  from  17!)9  to  U04. 

"During  his  second  term  (1703-1707)  President  Washington,  now  held  In 
such  grateful  regard  by  all  his  countrymen,  was  not  spared  caustic  criticism 
by  that  body  of  opinion  which  was  rapidly  being  welded  by  .Jefferson  and  his 
lieutenants  into  the  Republican  party.  Democratic  ideals,  to  be  worked  out 
through  the  principle  of  popular  sovereignty,  characterized  this  party  and 
brought  it  into  sharp  contrast  with  whatever  forces  tnat  seemed  to  emp'ia- 
slze  "classism"  in  the  nation  and  over-centralization  of  power  in  its  govern 
ment.  Washington,  while  deprecating  political  divisions  in  the  citizenship, 
leaned  toward  the  Federalists,  who  opposed  the  rising  tide  of  social  and  polit- 
ical ideals  of  .leffersonian  democracy.  Hence  he  incurred  the  censure  of  pos- 
sessing "aristocratical  principles,"  a  charge  tending  to  discredit  in  the  minrls 
of  the  Rrprblicrns. 

1  Washington  was  the  first  president  of  the  "Society  of  the  Cincinnati." 
founded  at  the  end  of  the  Revolution  among  the  officers  of  the  army,  mem- 
bership in  which  was  to  be  perpetuated  in  the  eldest  male  descendant  of  ori- 
ginal members.  Its  objects,  besides  forming  an  heriditary  order,  were  to 
promote  friendships  formed  in  the  war  and  to  deliberate  in  secret  upon  the 
welfare  of  the  country.  The  hereditary  feature  and  secret  deliberation  purpose 
aroused  bitter  criticism  and  denunciation  among  the  popular  hades,  the 
storm  growing  so  great  that  the  Society  suspended  its  meetings  for  a  number 
of  years.  It  had  seemed  to  the  democratic  masses  an  effort  to  establish  an 
hereditary  aristocracy,  and  so  organized  as  to  have  undue  weight  upon  the 
life  of  the  government  and  country. 

8  Samuel  Stanhope  Smith.  D.  D..  I.L.  D.,  president  of  Princeton  University 
from  170f>  to  1812  (resigned).  Ho  was  an  arts  graduate  of  Princeton  in 
1768.      (See  note  to  a  subsequent  letter). 

0  Oswald,  Ele.nzer.  Publisher  of  the  Independent  Oazetter,  or  the  C'ironicle 
of  Freedom.  (Phila.)  1782-1 70r>.  lie  was  a  violent  opponent  of  tlv>  polici  s 
of  the  Federalist  party  and  particularly  of  Alexander  Hamilton  as  a  political 
leader.  Oswald,  though  an  Englishman,  entered  the  ra-'-s  of  th"  American 
Army  during  the  Revolution  and  fought  under  Arnold  both  at  Quebec  and  at 
Saratoga. 

10  Robert  Wilson  Harris  entered  the  University  sometime  within  the  year, 
probably  in  August. 

"Mary  Ker.  wife  of  David  Ker.  born  in  Ireland  30th  of  March,  17.":  died 
in  Natchez.  Mississippi.   :'0th   of  November,   1847. 

13  Mrs.  Sara  Harris  Harris,  first  wife  of  Dr.  Charles  Harris.  After  her 
death  Dr.  Harris  married  Lydia  Houston  Brevard. 


University. 
Dr.  Sir,  Jlme  lst>  17°5- 

By  Col.  Osborn1  I  received  your  letter  &  am  doubly  glad 
that  Heriot2  is  in  such  a  good  state  of  health  -  It  must  add 
much  to  the  happiness  of  your  family  --  Your  business  as 


18  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

physician  having  increased  so  much  within  a  year  past  that 
if  ever  you  had  any  serious  intentions  of  coming  to  this  place, 
you  must  before  now  have  relinquished  it  altogether.  Many 
of  our  trustees  are  for  immediately  filling  several  professor- 
ships with  proper  persons  --  and  at  any  rate  if  every  thing 
succeeds  tolerably  -  it  cannot  be  long  before  there  is  a  pro- 
fessor of  Chemistry,  Anatomy,  &  -  -  There  is  no  physician 
nearer  to  this  place  than  Hillsborough,  some  of  our  students 
from  the  East,  being  very  delicate  are  frequently  attacked 
with  returns  of  their  Disorders  &  have  suffered  for  the  want 
of  medicine  -  I  have  therefore  with  the  advice  of  Mr.  Ker 
determined  to  keep  a  small  apartment  of  Medicine  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  students  &  the  neighbourhood  should 
they  think  proper  to  apply  -  until  some  physician  shall  think 
it  worth  his  while  to  settle  near  us  -  -  This  I  undertake  with- 
out the  most  distant  prospect  of  making  any  thing  by  it. 
The  medicine  I  will  give  out  at  the  cost  &  charges.  If  any 
advantages  accrue  they  will  be  the  pleasure  I  shall  receive 
from  finding  myself  useful  &  necessary  to  any  person  &  the 
renewing  occasionally  that  smattering  of  physic  which  I 
learnt  when  with  you,  an  acquisition  that  I  never  wish  to 
lose. 

Inclosed  I  send  you  a  plan  of  the  University  lands  -  the 
village  -  ornamental  grounds  springs,  &  -  -  But  it  would  be 
unnecessary  to  enter  into  a  Geographical  description  -  The 
general  opinion  is  that  the  place  is  most  happily  situated,  - 
a  delightful  prospect,  charming  groves,  medicinal  springs  - 
light  &  wholesome  air  -  &  inaccessible  to  vice  -  the  last  prop- 
erty Revd.  Pettegrew3  bishop  from  Edenton  added  when  he 
visited  ns.  I  send  you  also  a  print  which  is  to  be  put  on 
every  book  with  the  donor's  name.  -  - 

I  am,  sir,  with  sincerity 

yours     Ciias  W.  Harris. 
Doctor  Charles  Harris. 

Make  my  respects  agreeable  to  Aunt  Sally  and  Elihu.  -  - 

Doctor  Charles  Harris, 
Cabarrus. 


The  Harris  Letters  19 

1  Colonel  Adlai  Osborne,  of  Rowan,  a  Trustee  of  the  University  from 
17S0  to  1814.  He  graduated  at  Princeton  in  1768  and  fought  through  the 
Revolution,  beginning  bis  military  service  as  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  2nd 
North  Carolina  Continental  Regiment  in  1775.  He  was  father  of  two  sons, 
Alexander  and  Edwin  Jay,  who  received  diplomas  with  the  first  elas=;  gradu- 
ated by  the  University  (1708),  and  another.  Adlai,  who  graduated  In  1802, 
and   still   another,   Spruce  McCoy,   who  graduated    in    1808. 

1  The  "Heriot"  referred  to  in  this  and  the  following  letter  is  probably  a 
daughter  of  Dr.  Charles  Harris,  though  the  editor  has  only  the  context  to 
substantiate  this  assumption.  He  further  believes  she  is  the  same  person 
called   "Peggy"   in    subsequent   letters. 

3  Reverend  Charles  Pettigrew,  of  Lake  Phelps,  Tyrrell  County,  father  of 
John  and  Ebenezer  Pettigrew,  two  students  in  the  University  (1795-1797). 
Ebenezer  Pettigrew  was  a  representative  in  Congress,  1835-1 837.  The  elder 
Tettigrew  was  chosen  a  bishop  in  the  Protestant  Episcopal  organization,  but 
seems  never  to  have  been  consecrated,  refusing  to  go  to  Philadelphia  for 
that  purpose  hecause  of  the  yellow  fever  epidemic  of  1793  in  that  city. 


University, 

Dr.  Sir,  July  21st,  1795. 

I  have  just  returned  from  a  short  tour  which  I  made 
through  Chatham  after  our  visitation1  on  the  13th  instant. 
At  which  time  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  Dr.  McCorkle2 
but  could  not  get  time  enough  to  write  a  letter  to  you  -  This 
morning  I  heard  from  Mrs.  Hogan  that  your  family  was 
well  except  Heriot  who  is  ill  with  the  chin-cough  -  I  would 
have  been  very  happy  in  receiving  a  few  lines  by  her.  The 
number  of  students  in  the  commencement  of  orders3  will 
amount  to  54  -  -  Such  numbers  crowding  in  the  trustees 
thought  proper  to  make  some  further  provision  for  their 
accommodation  &  instruction  -  -  They  determined  to  proceed 
as  soon  as  possible  to  the  large  building4  -  120  feet  long — 
56  broad,  3  stories  high  -  They  are  to  receive  proposals  at 
the  next  general  assembly.  But  as  such  a  work  could  not  be 
in  any  degree  of  readiness  in  less  than  two  years  -  the  build- 
ing commissioners  are  ordered  to  build  a  two  story  wooden 
house  with  6  large  rooms  and  a  S2hool  room,  with  a  purpose 
to  accommodate  the  younger  boys  &  is  to  be  termed  the  Gram- 
mar school5  -  When  this  house  becomes  no  more  necessary 
for  its  present  purposes  it  is  intended  to  be  converted  into 
a  dwelling  house  for  some  future  professor  who  may  have  a 
family  -  In  a  rough  statement  of  the  funds  by  the  trustees 
they  amounted  to  $15,460  --  $10,000  of  this  they  desire  to 
lay  out  in  purchasing  stock  6  per  cent,  that  interest  may  be  a 


20  James  Spkunt  Historical  Publications 

permanent  provision  for  the  University.  You  must  be  cer- 
tain that  with  our  present  number  -  our  hands  must  be  very- 
full  of  business.  It  is  a  most  difficult  thing  to  procure  a 
deserving  teacher.  A  Grammar  master  is  now  wanted  to  take 
charge  of  the  house  which  is  to  be  built  directly  -  -  Mr.  Ker 
and  I  have  liberty  to  procure  one  at  130  Dol.  per  an.  &  board. 
Several  have  been  proposed  but  none  that  could  be  altogether 
approved.  With  this  day's  post  I  dispatch  a  letter  to  a  Mr. 
Brown,  an  acquaintance  of  mine  on  James  River  -  I  have 
great  hopes  that  he  will  accept  of  the  offer  &  therefore  we  can 
do  nothing  until  an  answer  arrives  -  We  have  at  length  de- 
termined to  collect  a  Museum0  at  this  place  -  -  the  trustees 
unanimously  came  into  the  idea  -  &  have  agreed  to  use  all 
their  influence  individually  to  procure  curiosities  -  A  num- 
ber of  gentlemen  on  the  seaboard  have  been  engaged  to  pro- 
cure marine  productions  -  But  it  belongs  to  the  back  country 
gentlemen  to  favour  us  with  many  curiosities,  with  which 
this  country,  particularly  the  S.  Western  territory  abounds  - 
These  scattered  about  in  every  bodies  hands,  soon  become 
lost  &  are  never  of  any  general  advantage  -  -  but  when  col- 
lected will  become  the  source  of  amusement  and  instruction 
to  thousands  -  -  &  when  a  number  is  collected  due  care  will 
be  taken  to  preserve  them  -  -  As  you  have  considerable  genius 
in  this  way  &  at  the  same  time  a  warm  friend  to  this  insti- 
tution, I  hope  you  will  interest  yourself  and  your  acquaint- 
ances to  collect  something  worth  while  and  forward  them  to 
us  -  They  should  be  accompanied  with  labels  or  letters,  show- 
ing where  they  were  sent  from,  and  giving  some  philosoph- 
ical account  of  them,  I  intend  to  take  upon  me  to  write  to 
Cumberland7  this  purpose  -  There  are  certain  times  of  the 
year  when  many  go  from  your  neighbourhood.  I  will  en- 
deavor to  have  letters  conveyed  to  my  father  before  that 
time,  but  if  I  should  not,  and  a  favorable  opportunity  offers, 
you  would  do  us  a  favor  to  write  to  Dr.  Donald  and  George 
McWhirter  on  this  subject  -  &  also  mention  to  my  father  to 
write  to  some  of  his  relations  in  the  same  place  -  It  will  be 
well  to  request  the  persons  to  whom  you  write  that  they  send 


The  Harris  Letters  21 

a  letter  informing  me  how  far  it  will  be  in  their  power  to 
assist  us-  Various  petrified  objects,  uncommon  fruits,  curious 
stones,  bones  of  non-des2ript  animals,  specimens  of  Indian 
clothing-  and  their  arts  and  manufactures  will  all  be  very  ac- 
ceptable -  The  Oil  which  Uncle  Nathaniel8  brought  from 
Cumberland  is  well  worth  preserving,  perhaps  you  could 
send  it  by  some  early  chance  attended  with  a  description  of 
the  p'ace  where  it  is  found.  We  have  a  blank-book  into 
which  we  enter  all  curiosities  with  the  Donor's  name  &  the 
des -ription  attending  it.     Write  to  me  by  post.     When  will 

you  visit  us.     Give  my  kindest  respects  to  Aunt  Sally9 

Charles  W.  Harris. 
Doctor  Charles  Harris 

The  only  curiosity  yet  received  is  an  Ostrich  egg  from  Judge 
Williams10  -  Inform  Col.  Smith11  that  Robert12  was  very 
well  about  six  days  ago  when  he  started  to  see  Mark  -  I  ex- 
pect him  back  two  days  hence  -  Col.  Smith  would  do  some- 
thing in  collecting  for  the  Museum. 

Dr.  Charles  Harris, 

X.  Carolina. 
By  post 

pustage  paid 

at  Chapel-Hill. 

•Th*  first  University  Commencement,  July  13,  1705.  In  pursuance  of  an 
ordinance  of  the  board  of  Trustees  it  was  the  duty  of  one  trustee,  In 
alphabetical  order,  from  each  judicial  district,  to  visit  the  University  at 
examination  times  and  report  on  result  of  their  Inspection  to  the  board. 
This  practice  did  not  last  long. 

-Samuel  Eusebius  McCorkle  was  born  near  Harris'  Ferry,  Lancaster 
county.  Pennsylvania.  His  parents,  Scotch-Irish  immigrants,  removed  from 
Pennsylvania  to  Kowan  County,  North  Carolina,  when  their  son  was  about 
ten  years  old.  He  received  preparations  for  college  under  Kev.  David  Caldwell 
in  fJnilford.  fie  entered  Princeton  and  took  his  arts  degree  In  1772,  returned 
home  and  became  pastor  of  Thyatira  church  in  Kowan,  serving  in  this 
capacity  until  his  death  (in  the  pulpit)  LMst  J nne,  1811.  In  addition  to  his 
labors  us  a  most  useful  Presbyterian  minister  for  a  period  of  thirty  years,  he 
conducted  a  classical  school  at  his  house  in  Kowan,  and  so  effectual  an  in- 
structor was  he  that  of  the  seven  young  men  composing  the  first  graduating 
class  at  the  University  (17'.>!)i,  six  of  them  had  been  trained  by  him.  He 
wj's  trustee  from  178!)  to  1801  and  at  the  date  of  the  above  letter,  chairman 
of  the  board.  For  an  extended  sketch  of  the  life  and  services  of  Dr.  Mc- 
Corkle. see  Foote's  Sketches  of  Xorth  Carolina,  pp.  :{.r>0-:?62. 

:  The  second  term  of  the  University  began  the  middle  of  August,  1793. 


22  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

*  The  South  Building  at  the  University,  originally  called  "Main  ;"  its 
corner  stone  was  laid  in  1798  but  it  was  not  finally  completed  until  1814. 

3  The  Grammar  School  went  into  operation  in  1796,  with  an  advanced 
student,  Richard  Simms,  as  temporary  master.  In  December  Nicholas  Delvaux 
and  Samuel  Allen  Holmes  were  made  instructors  in  it,  though  Holmes  was 
soon  advanced  to  a  tutorship  in  the  University,  his  place  in  the  Grammar 
School  being  taken  by  William  Richards,  a  strolling  English  actor.  (A  note 
on  Richards  appears  below). 

"  For  a  partial  list  of  the  specimens  gathered  by  interested  donors  for 
the  University's  early  museum,  see  Battle,  History  of  the  University  of  North 
Carolina,  Vol.  1,  p.  67. 

7  The  Tennessee  country  along  Cumberland  River.  Immigration  in  these 
years  was  setting  strong  toward  the  trans-mountain  regioii. 

8  Probably  a  maternal  uncle  of  the  writer.  Charles  W.  Harris  had  no 
uncle  on  his  father's  side  named  Nathaniel. 

9  Dr.  Charles  Harris  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife  (above)  being  Sara 
Harris,  and   the  second   Lydia  Brevard   Houston. 

10  John  Williams,  of  Granville,  Superior  Court  judge  from  1778  to  1790, 
and  Trustee  of  the  University  from  1789  to  1799. 

»  Probably  Robert  Smith,  of  Cabarrus,  lieutenant  in  the  4th  regiment  of 
North  Carolina  Continental  troops  in   the  Revolution. 

12  Robert  Smith,  doubtless  son  of  "Col.  Smith,"  was  registered  at  the 
University  in  1795.     He  did  not  graduate. 


University, 
Aug.  13,  1795. 
Dr.  Uncle, 

I  was  happy  in  being  informed  by  a  letter  from  Capt. 
Houston1  that  your  family  is  increased  by  a  son2  &  that  all 
is  well  -  I  should  have  expected  to  receive  the  first  intelli- 
gence of  such  an  occurrence  from  yourself  -  It  was  alto- 
gether unforeseen  by  me.  Every  addition  to  your  family 
will  certainly  make  you  more  of  the  citizen.  Tho'  your  sin- 
cere &  general  benevolence  had  already  made  you  a  warm 
friend  to  our  institution  &  every  plan  for  public  Utility,  yet 
since  the  birth  of  a  son  you  must  feel  yourself  more  nearly 
interested  in  the  affairs  of  the  University.  -  - 

Our  number  is  now  fifty-six  -  &  a  great  prospect  of  in- 
creasing considerably  in  a  short  time.  We  have  used  our 
endeavours  to  procure  another  assistant.  But  have  not  been 
successful.  We  have  written  to  a  young  man  of  my  acquaint- 
ance who  lives  below  Williamsburg  in  Virginia  &  expect  an 
answer  by  the  next  post. 

Our  news  at  this  place  has  given  us  more  trouble  &  dis- 
appointment than  information  -  I  joined  Mr.  Ker  in  getting 
Brown's  Daily  paper3  but  it  has  not  arrived  by  the  two  last 


The  Harris  Letters  23 

posts.  &  if  it  does  not  come  more  regularly  we  must  dis- 
continue it.  There  is  an  universal  uproar  against  the  treaty4. 
It  is  said  that  we  must  garrison  &  defend  the  western  posts, 
for  the  benefit  of  Brittish  merchants  -  ;  that  the  East-india 
trade  was  on  a  better  footing  before;  that  the  West  india 
trade  is  entirely  destroyed  -  ;  that  the  hands  of  our  legisla- 
tors are  tied  down,  that  they  can  never  take  such  measures 
for  their  future  security  as  the  patriotic  Madison  once  pro- 
posed -  -  that  the  reciprocity  held  forth  in  several  articles  is 
a  mere  nullity.  The  Fayetteville  Politicians  have  risked 
their  credit  in  toasting  this  prodigy  of  negotiations  while 
other  companies  were  openly  drinking  him  &  his  treaty  to 
hell  &  damnation  -  -  There  has  been  some  disagreea^e  busi- 
ness in  New  York  on  this  subject  &  the  great  financier  Ham- 
ilton5 has  been  very  roughly  handled  by  the  people  because 
he  was  supposed  a  friend  to  the  treaty. 

The  museum  has  made  but  small  progress  -  &  consists 
of  only  one  Ostrich  egg6  -  -  .  I  hope  when  it  is  generally 
known  that  such  a  collection  is  making  in  this  place  we  shall 
receive  considerable  assistance. 

I  had  a  very  favoourable  opportunity  about  three  days 
ago,  of  sending  letters  immediately  to  Cumberland  by  a 
gentleman  who  would  travel  with  expedition  -  - 1  endeavoured 
to  interest  David  Wilson,  James  Wilson  &  Dr.  Donald  in 
making  collections  &  if  no  accident  happens  they  can  make 
some  return  before  Winter. 

My  law-progress,  you  must  conclude  is  slow  from  the 
great  share  of  business  &  attention  to  which  is  at  present 
necessary  for  me  to  apply  myself,  -  tho'  slow,  it  is  I  think 
firm  &  determined  — 

I  am,  dear  sir,  with 
much  respect 
Your's 

n     rtu    i      tt      •  Chas.  W.  Harris. 

Dr.  Charles  Harris. 

Doctor  Charles  Harris, 
Cabarrus. 


24  James  Spkunt  Historical  Publications 

'Probably  Captain  .lames  Houston,  of  Lincoln  County,  an  active  Whig  in 
Revolutionary  days  and  whose  company  contributed  greatly  to  the  defeat 
of  the  Tories  in  the  battle  of  Ramseurs'  Mill,  June  20,  1780.'  An  alternative 
supposition  as  to  the  identity  of  the  "Capt.  Houston"  above  is  that  he  was  the 
father  of  William  Houston  of  Iredell,  who  was  a  member  of  the  first  graduat- 
ing class  at  the  University    (1708). 

-  William  Shakespeare  Harris,  born  1705.  became  a  worthy  representative 
of  his  father's  family,  though  he  never  attained  or  desired  political  prefer- 
ment. Me  served  his  county  as  representative  in  the  lower  branch  of  the 
state  legislature  in   18S0,  1852,  1860  and  1862. 

1  Probably  the  "Philadelphia  Gazette  and  Universal  Daily  Advertiser,"  a 
daily  i  r<  spaper  published  at  Philadelphia  from  1704  to  1800  by  Andrew 
Brown  and   Samuel   Relf,  and  continued  after   1800  as  "Relf's  Gazette." 

4  The  Jay  Treaty,  concluded  by  Chief  Justice  John  Jay  with  England  in 
November,  1704.  and  submitted  to  the  Senate  in  June,  1705,  and  ratified  by 
the  constitutional  two  thirds  majority  without  a  vote  to  spare.  Even  the 
Federalists  reprobated  the  treaty,  while  the  Republicans  universally  denounced 
it  as  a  ran'*  betrayal  of  American  sovereignty.  It  certainly  seemed  far  from 
advantageous  to  American  interests.  By  its  terms  our  western  posts  were 
to  be  evacuated  by  the  British,  though  without  compensation  for  their  long 
retention  (1783-1796).  The  Mississippi  River  was  to  be  open  to  British 
shipping;  American  citizens  to  be  recompensed  for  British  captures  of  their 
sl'irs  in  the  West  Indies:  French  privateers  to  be  shut  out  of  our  ports. 
The  treaty  even  conceded  the  English  contention  that  a  natural  flag  could 
not  protect  non-contraband  enemy  goods  upon  the  high  seas.  It  made  no 
recoiroersp  For  the  large  number  of  American  slaves  carried  off  by  the 
Fns'ish  armies  at  the  close  of  the  Revolution  :  and  secured  no  redress  for  the 
impressment  of  seamen  from  American  vessels,  nor  any  promise  that  the  prac- 
tice vould  be  abandoned.  A  number  of  other  important  provisions  were  also 
favora'Hn  to  the  English.  The  treaty,  however,  had  the  one  virtue  of  averting 
war  with    England  toward  which  we  were  rapidly  drifting. 

"•  Hamilton  even  at  first  condemned  the  treaty,  pronouncing  it  "an  old 
worn  "s  treaty."  but  soon  came  to  its  defense  in  order  to  save  the  credit 
of  the  Federalist  party.  At  one  open  air  meeting  in  New  Fork  City  he  was 
stored   for  atterrptirp  to  defend  it. 

".'v^o  John  Williams,  of  Granville,  superior  court  judge  from  1778  to 
1700  and  trustee,  1780-1700.  was  the  donor  of  the  ostrich  egg. 


Chapel  hill, 
Nov.  12th,  1795. 
Dr.  Sir, 

T  wrote  to  you  some  time  ago,  since  which  nothing  of 
importance  has  occurred  in  our  business.  Our  trustees  are 
not  likely  to  do  much  during  the  meeting  of  the  assembly  -  - 
The  more  I  know  of  their  affairs  &  of  my  own  dispositions 
&  qualifications  -  the  more  I  am  determined  against  en- 
gaging in  their  business  for  life  -  I  of  late  made  an  effort 
to  procure  some  law  books  &  Motherby  but  was  disappoint- 
ed -  -  T  will  again  make  another  attempt  at  Philadelphia 
when  I  have  collected  a  little  more  money  --  With  my 
father1   I  send  an  extract  of  Lavatie's  Phisiognomy  &  hope 


The  Harris  Letters  25 

you  will  accept  of  it  &  let  My  father  &  the  rest  of  our  family 
read  it  -  It  is  a  hook  which  has  afforded  me  much  amuse- 
ment &  I  hope  some  real  improvement  -  It  appears  to  me, 
because  I  am  not  well  enough  acquainted  with  the  science, 
that  his  observations  are  often  vague  &  uncertain  -  But  what 
ever  uncertainty  there  may  be  in  it  -  I  am  fully  convinced 
that  it  is  well  worth  the  attention  of  a  young  man  who  in  life 
may  have  all  characters  to  deal  with  &  ought  early  to  begin  to 

learn  to  distinguish  them I  have  sometimes  thought 

that  Motherby's  Dictionary  might  not  at  this  time  be  so  agree- 
able to  you  or  useful  -  I  would  take  pleasure  in  procuring 
any  others  if  you  would  only  take  the  trouble  of  mentioning 
them  -  If  you  send  me  no  advice  of  this  kind  I  will  order  the 
book  which  I  first  intended  -  -  I  am  more  &  more  sensible 
of  the  advantages  of  which  my  reading  on  several  subjects 
with  you  is  likely  to  bring  me  &  tho'  I  did  not  study  them  in 
that  particular  manner  which  I  might,  yet  some  general 
ideas  remain  strongly  impressed  on  my  mind  which  gives  me 
a  pleasure  in,  &  a  taste  for  a  further  improvement  in  them  - 
Give  my  kindest  respects  to  Aunt  Sally  &  believe  me  your 
most 

sincere  friend 

-r.      ,*„         tt      •  Ciias.  W.  Harris. 

Dr.  Chas.  Harris 

I  have  not  been  able  to  write  as  I  would  wish-  -I  have  been 
all  the  time  with  Mr.  Ker2  &  my  fatber  who  are  comparing 
their  religious  creeds  --  Mr.  Ker  &  Mrs.  Ker  present  their 
compliments  to  you  &  Aunt  &  assure  you  that  we  often  think 
of  you 

Doctor  Charles  Harris, 

By  Robert  Harris  Esq.  Cabarrus. 


1  Robert  Harris,  of  Cabarrus,  father  of  Charles  W.  Harris,  appears  from 
the  context  to  have  been  visiting  his  son  at  Chapel  Hill  upon  this  date.  .\ 
sufficient  reference  to  him  appears  in  the  preface. 

-  Though  the  editor  has  never  seen  any  statement  as  to  where  the  Iviehelor 
Harris  lived  during  his  two  years  of  service  to  the  I'nive-sity.  th>-  fi -st  t\v  . 
years  of  its  actual  life,  his  intimate  relations  with  the  Ker  family,  as  indl  ated 
in  the  above  letter  and  others  of  the  series,  tend  to  prove  that  he  resided  with 
tills  family  who  occupied  the  president's  house  (then  noon  the  site  of  the 
present  Swain  Hall),  begun  In  1793  and  completed  for  occupancy  by  1705. 


26  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

University, 
June  1st.  1796. 
Dr.  friend,1 

In  jour  last  letter  you  expressed  some  uncertainty  re- 
specting the  place  in  which  you  would  attempt  the  practice 
of  Physic.  This,  in  a  great  measure  prevented  me  from 
writing  as  often  as  I  could  wish.  You  see  by  my  address 
that  I  am  still  a  teacher  tho'  much  against  my  inclination  -  - 
It  is  difficult  in  this  illiterate  part  of  the  United  States  to 
procure  any  person  that  is  able  and  willing  to  undertake  the 
arduous  task  of  instructing.  I  continue  in  my  present  situa- 
tion because  the  trustees  cannot  procure  any  person  to  per- 
form the  duties  of  my  office.  I  earnestly  desire  to  be  en- 
gaged in  some  professional  business  in  the  world  -  -  One  of 
my  motives  for  writing  you  at  this  time  was  to  receive  some 
information  of  Mr.  Caldwell2  who  graduated  one  year  before 
us  &  spoke  the  first  Salutatory  Oration  -  -  I  have  heard  that 
he  has  been  employed  in  teaching  ever  since  he  left  College  -  - 
if  he  is  not  yet  permanently  settled,  and  has  no  objection 
against  removing  farther  south  I  make  no  doubt  but  he  may 
be  placed  in  a  situation  in  this  state  altogether  agreeable  -  - 
I  must  beg  leave  to  trouble  you  in  this  affair  &  request  that 
you  would  by  post  give  me  any  information  concerning  his 
place  of  abode;  employment  &,  which  you  may  think  neces- 
sary -  -  Or  if  you  can  let  him  know  of  the  enquiries  which 
I  have  made,  it  will  be  still  a  greater  favor. 
The  University  contains  37  students  -  -  The  employment 
which  I  would  relinquish  to  Mr.  Caldwell  if  he  would  agree- 
able to  the  trustees  is  the  Professorship  of  Mathematics  & 
Natural  Philosophy  worth  at  present  more  than  500  Dol.  per 
Ano.  &  in  time  to  come  will  be  more  valuable. 
I  am  your  sincere  friend, 

Chas.  W.  Harris. 
Dr.  Jno.  C.  Otto. 

Postage  paid. 
25 


The  Harris  Letters  27 

I  mentioned  Mr.  Cald- 
well's name  to  the  trus- 
tees. Write  by  the  first 
post  to  Chapel-hill.  Uni- 
versity of  N.  C. 


Doctor  John  C.  Otto, 

Philadelphia,  or 
Woodbury  -- 


'Dr.  John  Conrad  Otto,  to  whom  this  lettpr  is  written,  was  an  A.  B. 
graduate  of  Princeton,  of  the  class  of  1792  (the  class  of  Harris).  He  re- 
ceived his  A.  M.  from  Princeton  in  1705,  and  an  M.  D.  from  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania  in  1796.  From  1798  to  1802  he  was  physician  to  the 
Philadelphia  Dispensary,  and  from  1813  to  1885  he  was  a  physician  In  the 
Pennsylvania  Hospital  in  Philadelphia.  From  18-10  to  the  date  of  his  death 
in  1844  he  was  Vice-President  of  the  College  of  Physicians.  Philadelphia. 

2  Joseph  Caldwell,  A.  P..  Princeton,  1791  ;  Tutor,  Princeton,  1795-96;  Clerk 
of  Faculty,  Princeton,  1796;  Professor  Mathematics  and  Natural  Philosophy. 
University  of  North  Carolina,  1796-1817:  President  of  University  of  North 
Carolina/ 1804-12,  1816-35:  A.  M.  Princeton.  1794,  also  University  of  North 
Carolina  in  1799  (honorary)  :  and  D.  D.  Princeton,  1816.  He  died  in  1835. 
For  a  full  account  of  the  services  of  Caldwell  to  the  University  of  North 
Carolina,  see  Battle,  History  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina,  Vol.  1, 
p.  178,  ct  seq. 


Nassau  Hall. 
Sir, 

I  have  just  received  a  letter  from  you  by  Mr.  Otto  re- 
questing information  respecting  my  present  employment  and 
expectations.1  I  am  still  unsettled  in  the  world,  tho'  I  have 
passed  thro'  most  of  the  time  I  allotted  for  obtaining  a  pro- 
fession. Tt  has  been  my  purpose  for  sometime  past  to  apply 
for  license  in  the  ministry  next  spring.  This,  however,  is  an 
event  perfectly  at  my  own  discretion.  And  I  am  unable  yet 
to  s:iy  how  far  your  letter  may  influence  my  decision.  I  have 
been  two  years  and  an  half  studying  divinity,  and  if  T  had 
chosen  might  have  requested  license  some  time  ago.  I  am 
now  employed  in  the  business  of  tutor  in  this  college.  I  com- 
menced a  year  from  the  present  date.  T  should  feel  myself 
so  diffident  with  respect  to  the  duties  of  a  teacher  of  mathe- 
matics that  I  should  s -arcely  know  how  to  venture  the  re- 
sponsibility of  such  an  office,  were  it  not  that  I  had  some 
time  since  an  opportunity  of  becoming  acquainted  in  some 


28  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

measure  with  my  strength.  And  the-'  I  still  apprehend  that 
I  do  not  possess  the  qualifications  requisite  to  such  an  office, 
I  believe  I  should  be  able  to  prepare  myself  with  assiduity 
and  attention.  I  wish  to  receive  further  information  of  the 
situation  of  affairs,  before  I  form  or  express  an  opinion.  To 
know  the  several  offices  of  the  University  and  the  names  of 
those  who  fill  them — the  buildings  that  belong  to  it — &  the 
conditions  of  the  funds,  if  there  are  any,  the  classes  and  num- 
ber of  students  in  each — under  what  regulations  the  students 
are  at  present  and  whether  on  the  whole  you  think  the  labor  of 
teaching,  fatiguing  and  oppressive.  I  wish  you  to  mention  also 
the  expenses  and  whether  the  country  and  situation  is  healthy. 
By  being  so  particular  in  my  enquiries,  I  would  not  have  you 
imagine  that  I  would  expect  to  be  accommodated  in  the  best 
manner  with  everything  that  is  agreeable  and  convenient. 
But  as  I  am  almost  entirely  ignorant  on  all  the  subjects, 
I  have  enumerated,  that  I  may  form  any  determination  at  all 
it  will  be  necessary  that  I  be  able  in  some  degree  to  estimate 
them.  You  know  the  advantages  my  present  station  possesses, 
and  therefore  will  easily  conceive  that  it  would  be  by  no 
means  wise  to  barter  them  away  for  an  uncertainty.  Mr. 
Hobart2  is  my  colleague,  and  tho'  I  have  not  the  happiness 
of  a  personal  or  intimate  acquaintance  with  him,  yet  I  have 
the  satisfaction  of  being  assured  that  I  may  rely  without 
reserve  on  every  information  you  may  offer,  and  that  you  or 
those  with  whom  you  are  connected  may  not  want  the  same 
advantages  of  information  on  your  side,  Dr.  Smith,3  Dr. 
Minto4  or  any  of  the  people  of  Princeton  in  whom  you  are 
willing  to  confide,  will  no  doubt  give  you  every  information 
you  may  ask.  I  ought  now  to  mention  that  it  will  not  by  any 
means  be  convenient  for  me  to  leave  this  place  till  next  fall 
after  commencement.  From  your  own  knowledge  of  affairs 
here,  you  will  be  able  to  judge  the  reason  of  this. 

Me.  C.  W.  Harris, 
Chapel  Hill, 
North  Carolina. 


The  Harris  Letters  29 

•This  letter  to  Harris,  In  the  bound  manuscript  volumes  of  unpublished 
records  of  the  University  is  in  Caldwell's  handwriting,  but  without  date  and 
signature.  It  is  doubtless  a  copy  of  his  original  letter  to  Harris,  made  by 
himself  and  placed  in  the  faculty  archives,  as  a  matter  of  record,  during 
his  early  period  of  service  to  the  University.  It  is  his  reply  to  either  Harris' 
inquiries  of  Dr.  J.  C.  Otto  about  Caldwell,  (see  preceding  letter),  or  his 
reply  to  a  letter  from  Harris  to  himself  direct,  but  transmitted  through  Otto. 
Its  date  should  probably  be  the  latter  part  of  June,  1706.  The  succeeding 
letter  in  the  series,  of  date  July  24th,  is  Harris  reply,  continuing  the  nego- 
tiations for  Caldwell's  services  and  Incidentally  throwing  a  clear  light  upm 
the  conditions,  internal,  and  external,  of  the  eighteen-months-old  University 
of  North  Carolina. 

'John  Henry  Hohart,  A.  B.,  Princeton  170.3  ;  Tutor  1706-1708:  Clerk  of 
Faculty  Princeton  1706-1708;  Professor  Pastoral  Theology  and  Sacred  Ora- 
tory General  Seminary,  N.  Y.,  1821-30:  Assistant  Protestant  Episcopal  Bishop, 
New  York  1811-16:  Protestant  Episcopal  Bishop  New  York  1816-30;  A.  M. 
Princeton  1706:  and  D.  D.  Union  1807. 

'  Samuel  Stanhope  Smith,  Tutor  Princeton  1770-73 ;  Rector  Hampden- 
Sidney  Academy  1775-70:  Clerk  Board  of  Trustees  Princeton  1781-05;  Treas- 
urer Princeton  1783-86:  Professor  Moral  Philosophy  and  Theology  Princeton 
1780-0.-);  President  Princeton  1705-1812:  A.  B.  Princeton  1760:  A.  M.  Prince- 
ton 1772:  D.  D.  Princeton,  also  Yale,  1783;  LL.  D.  Harvard  1810;  resigned 
Presidency  Princeton  1812:  and  died  1810. 

4  Walter  Minto.  M.  A.,  LL.  D..  Professor  Mathematics  and  Natural  Philo- 
sophy  Princeton   1787-06,   died  1796. 


University    July  24th  1796. 
Sir, 

You  will,  without  doubt,  be  expecting  some  account  from 
me  long  before  the  arrival  of  this  but  I  delayed  giving  an 
answer  to  your  letter  until  the  meeting  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  which  was  on  the  15th  inst.  that  I  might  have  it  in 
my  power  to  write  to  you  more  fully.  For  as  a  teacher  in  the 
University  I  had  no  authority  to  give  you  any  encouragement 
that  could  be  relied  upon — without  the  concurrence  of  the 
Trustees. 

In  answer  to  the  several  queries  which  you  proposed,  I 
am  to  inform  you  that  the  offices1  of  the  University  are  Pres- 
ident, who  is  professor  of  Rhetoric  &  Belles-lettres;  Professor 
of  Moral  Philosophy;  Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy; 
Professor  of  Mathematics ;  of  Chemistry ;  &  of  Languages — 
in  all  five  Professorships.  Ixevd  Ker  who  has  lately  left  this 
place  was  professor  of  languages  &  performed  the  duties  of 
President  pro  tempore.  Pevd  McCorkle,  D.  D.  of  this  state 
was  appointed  to  the  professorship  of  Moral  Philosophy,  but 
as  he  could  not  immediately  accept  of  the  appointment  and 
the  trustees  began  to  be  very  doubtful  respecting  his  qualifi- 


30  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

cation  for  that  business  the  appointment  has  been  retracted.2 
Revd.  Holmes  is  now  Professor  of  Languages.  I  am  the 
other  professor  who  besides  the  duties  of  my  particular  office, 
am  obliged  for  the  want  of  teachers  to  attend  to  the  Moral 
Philosophy  class  &  perform  the  duties  of  President.  Be- 
sides there  are  two  tutors3  of  the  lower  classes.  As  to  the 
classes,  the  Moral  Philosophy  class  is  the  first  and  consists 
of  six  young  men.  They  will  study  Paley,  Burlemagni,  Mon- 
tesqueiu,  &  Mallet's  elements  of  history.  The  mathematical 
class  will  consist  of  15  who  will  study  Simson's  Euclid,  Sim- 
son's  Algebra,  Trigonometry,  Surveying,  Navigation,  and  if 
required,  Conic  Sections,  Projection  of  the  Sphere  &  Nichol- 
son's Nat.  Philosophy  &  Ferguson's  Astronomy.  The  Geog- 
raphy &  Arithmetic  class  will  be  composed  of  10  students, 
the  Latin  class  of  nearly  as  many,  &  there  will  be  five  or  six 
in  Greek.  The  tutors  each  attend  to  near  30  S3holars,  so  that 
the  whole  number  will  be  about  100.  I  have  not  been  very 
particular,  or  accurate  in  some  of  the  statements  of  the  classes 
because  it  is  now  vacation  &  the  young  gentlemen  when  they 
meet,  will  commence  their  studies  in  new  classes.  We  im- 
mitate  Nassau  Hall  in  the  conduct  of  our  affairs  as  much  as 
our  circumstances  will  admit.  The  Professorship  of  Mathe- 
matics &  Natural  Philosophy  will  not  be  more  burdensome 
nor  laborious  at  this  place  than  at  Princeton.  I  have  been  at 
the  University  since  the  first  commencement  of  business  & 
determined  to  devote  myself  during  my  stay  entirely  to  its 
interests.  For  this  reason  I  have  always  been  employed  in 
duties  which  were  not  annexed  to  my  professorship  &  which 
I  think  it  will  not  be  necessary  for  any  future  professor  to 
perform.  To  me  they  were  not  oppressive.  I  received  my 
reward  in  finding  myself  useful  to  an  institution  which  was 
zealously  patronized  by  the  whole  state.  Our  situation  is 
without  doubt  healthy — that  was  a  circumstance  which  par- 
ticularly recommended  Chapel  Hill  for  the  seat  of  the  Uni- 
versity. As  our  state  is  not  favourably  situated  for  com- 
merce, &  the  University  fixed  in  an  interior  part  of  the  coun- 
try you  must  readily  conceive  that  the  expense  of  clothing 


The  Harkis  Letters  31 

will  be  something  dearer  at  this  place  than  at  Princeton. 
But  boarding  is  much  cheaper,  our  diet  at  Commons  is  pre- 
ferable to  yours  and  procured  at  the  low  rate  of  40  Dollars  a 
year.  The  Trustees  will  pay  for  your  boarding  if  you  choose 
to  diet  at  Commons.  It  has  cost  me  nothing  as  yet.  The 
buildings  already  compleated  are  one  wing  98  feet  long  &  40 
broad  two  stories  high  containing  16  rooms;  an  elegant  & 
large  house  for  the  President,  with  out-houses ;  Steward's 
house,  Kitchen  &.  The  Buildings  which  are  to  be  erected 
are  a  large  house  115  feet  long  56  broad  &  three  stories;  a 
wing  exactly  similar  to  the  one  above  mentioned  &  placed 
fronting  it;  a  chapel  50  feet  long  &  40  broad.  I  have  annexed 
a  small  paper  which  will  show  you  in  what  order  these  houses 
are  to  be  arranged.  The  Chapel4  is  already  contracted  for, 
&  will  cost  near  3,000  Dollars.  The  foundation  will  be  laid 
within  two  weeks.  The  trustees  can  at  pleasure  realize  15,000 
Dollars  more  with  which  they  have  determined  to  commence 
the  large  building  as  soon  as  they  can  procure  an  undertaker. 
It  would  be  difficult  to  give  any  correct  statement  of  the 
funds.  I  requested  the  Treasurer  to  make  out  a  small  ac- 
count of  them,  which  I  purposed  to  inclose  for  your  satisfac- 
tion. This  I  have  not  yet  received  but  he  assured  me  that 
they  could  not  be  stated  at  less  than  30,000  Dollars,  tho' 
some  of  the  property  was  such  as  could  not  be  immediately 
productive.5 

I  have  now  given  you  a  short  but  I  fear  not  satisfactory 
answer  to  your  enquiries.  From  what  I  have  said  you  will 
easily  perceive  that  the  University  labours  more  at  present  for 
the  want  of  good  teachers  than  anything  else.  Were  the  build- 
ings compleated  and  more  of  the  professorships  filled  there 
would  not  be  less  than  200  students.  The  professorship  of 
Mathematics  is  at  present  worth  500  Dollars  &  will  I  am 
certain  in  a  short  time  be  equal  to  600.  Yet  I  may  inform 
you  that  the  society  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  University 
is  very  uncultivated  &  unenviting.  I  have  no  communication 
with  it.  When  there  is  a  little  leisure  I  ride  12  or  14  miles 
&  there  find  very  agreeable  company,0  &  the  seminary  is 


32  James  Spkunt  Historical  Publications 

occasionally  visited  by  the  most  respectable  gentlemen  in  the 
state.  One  who  resides  here  will  generally  be  confined  to  the 
company  of  teachers,  students  or  books.  Chapel  Hill  is  25 
miles  from  Raleigh  the  seat  of  government.  From  the  new- 
ness of  the  University  every  thing  is  rather  in  an  unssttled 
state,  but  from  present  appearances  I  expect  a  situation  here 
will  within  a  short  time  become  as  agreeable  &  profitable  as 
any  of  a  like  kind  in  the  Union.  You  might  here  reasonably 
enquire  why  Mr.  Ker  has  relinquished  his  business  and  why 
I  intend  to  follow  his  example  when  prospects  are  so  flatter- 
ing. As  to  Mr.  Ker  he  went  away  much  against  his  own 
will,7  and  as  to  my  self  I  never  could  think  of  spending  my 
life  in  teaching  or  I  should  not  alter  my  situation.  The  law 
is  my  aim,  and  it  is  now  high  time  to  make  some  effectual 
preparation  in  that  way.  I  gave  the  trustees  warning  of  my 
intention  six  months  ago.  After  all  I  hope  you  will  not  rely 
too  much  on  what  I  have  said.  I  could  not  easily  forgive 
myself  should  I  be,  even  the  innocent  cause  of  persuading 
you  to  a  situation  which  might  on  trial  prove  less  agreeable 
than  that  which  you  at  present  hold.  Consult  with  your 
friends  in  that  country  &  if  they  should  approve  of  the  pros- 
pects which  open  to  you  from  this  state,  accept  of  them. 

You  may  calculate  without  diffidence  on  all  the  assist- 
ance which  I  can  give  you.  Your  letter  I  handed  to  the  trus- 
tees who  gave  me  liberty  to  inform  you  that  you  might  be 
certain  of  the  appointment  should  you  think  proper  to  accept. 
Gen.  Davie  of  Hallifax,  a  leading  member  of  the  board, 
promised  to  write  to  you.  We  expect  from  London  a  small 
apparatus  which  will  probably  arrive  before  Christmas.  Our 
education  at  Princeton  was  shamefully  &  inexcusably  de- 
ficient in  experimental  Philosophy,  a  circumstance  which  I 
have  often  reflected  upon  with  concern.  If  you  have  never 
attended  particularly  to  that  subject,  before  your  commence- 
ment, you  would  undoubtedly  find  it  a  great  advantage  to 
see  the  Apparatus  in  Philadelphia  &  to  learn  the  manner  of 
using  different  kinds  of  Electrical  Machines,  Air-pump, 
Telescope,    Microscope,    Camera-Obseura,    Magic    Lantern, 


The  Haeeis  Lettees  33 

Quadrants,  Sextants,  &  whatever  else  you  may  suppose  use- 
ful or  entertaining.  I  should  have  appeared  often  very  ridic- 
ulous in  my  own  eyes  had  I  not  gotten  a  smattering  of  ex- 
perimental Philosophy  by  visiting  Williamsburgh  College  in 
Virginia. 

I  would  thank  you  to  make  my  respects  acceptable  to 
Dr.  Smith,  Dr.  Minto,  &  Mr.  Hobart,  if  it  be  not  inconsistent 
with  the  subject  of  our  correspondence.  I  would  willingly 
receive  the  degree  of  A.  M.  if  I  should  be  thought  worthy 
of  it  &  it  could  be  procured  in  my  absence.  I  suppose  there 
is  some  expense  attending  it,  which  if  you  defray  I  will  remit 
by  some  opportunity,  at  any  rate  when  our  members  return 
to  congress. 

If  upon  the  whole  you  think  of  accepting  our  proposal 
you  ought  to  arrive  here  between  the  end  of  October  and  the 
middle  of  November  about  which  time  the  classes  will  again 
meet  &  you  might  at  once  enter  upon  your  professorship. 
I  am,  sir,  with  all 

possible  respect  your 
servant 

Chas.  W.  Haeeis. 
Mr.  Joseph  Caldwell. 

Be  kind  enough  to  oblige  me  with  a  letter  by  Post  as  soon 
as  possible  after  the  reception  of  this.  It  would  be  highly 
pleasing  to  know  something  particular  respecting  the  pres- 
ent situation  of  my  Alma  Mater.     Direct  to  Chapel-Hill. 

Chapel-Hill 

26th  July  96  Double  50. 

Me.  Joseph  Caldwell,  Tutor, 
at  Princeton, 

New  Jersey. 


1  The  Trustees,  on  July  15,  1796,  accepted  Ker's  resignation  as  presiding 
professor  and  promoted  Harris  to  that  office.  Ker's  chair  of  Rhotoric  and 
Belle-I.ettres  went  unfilled,  as  did  also  the  chair  of  Chemistry.  Harris  as- 
sumed the  duties  of  the  chair  of  Natural  Philosophy  in  addition  to  his  own 
of  Mathematics  (he  having  been  tutor  in  the  last  named  subject  from  the 
beginning  of  his  service  in  April,  1795,  to  the  end  of  the  first  term  in  July, 


34:  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

since  when  he  had  occupied  the  professorship).  Samuel  Allen  Holmes  was 
promoted  from  the  Grammar  School  to  the  chair  of  Languages  and  was 
assisted  by  W.  L.  Richards  as  tutor  in  English  and  French.  Holmes'  ap- 
pointment later  proved  to  he  of  very  doubtful   benefit  to  the  institution. 

2  Wm.  R.  Davie,  the  most  influential  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees, 
seems  not  to  have  been  enthusiastic  for  McCorkle's  appointment,  and  when 
the  latter  made  his  acceptance  conditional  upon  an  increase  in  salary  equal 
to  the  annual  rental  value  of  the  presiding  professor's  house  (which  he  was 
to  occupy,  and  whose  duties  he  was  to  assume)  in  case  he  was  deprived  of 
the  use  of  the  house  upon  the  election  of  a  president,  the  board  retracted  the 
appointmnt.  For  further  details  relative  to  the  failure  of  this  appointment 
see  Battle,  History  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina,  Vol.  1,  p.  100. 

3  W.  L.  Richards,  Tutor  in  French  and  English,  and  Nicholas  Delvaux, 
Tutor  in  Latin.     Each  of  these  also  were  teachers  in  the  Grammar  School. 

4  The  Chapel  was  completed  out  of  the  funds  of  a  donation  by  General 
Thomas  Person,  of  Granville,  and  was  named  "Person  Hall"  in  his  honor. 
It  was  the  east  wing  of  the  present  building  upon  the  campus  still  bearing 
the  name  of  Person  Hall. 

5  This  property  which  could  not  be  immediately  productive  consisted 
mainly  of  land  warrants  to  Tennessee  lands  donated  by  Colonel  Benjamin 
Smith  (afterwards  Governor)  in  1790.  Nothing  was  realized  from  them 
before  1815. 

6  Harris'  outlet  for  social  intercourse  was  Hillsborough,  twelve  miles 
distant. 

7  There  seem  to  have  been  two  reasons  for  the  disseverance  of  Ker's  con- 
nections with  the  University  after  a  year  and  half  of  service  :  first,  his  inabil- 
ity to  cope  with  the  "unruly"  spirit  of  the  student  body  and,  second,  the  fact 
that  he  had  developed  heterodox  political  and  religious  principles.  The  bulk 
of  the  young  University's  support,  both  in  the  Trustees  and  in  the  patronage, 
was  Federalist  politically  and  staunch  Presbyterian  in  matters  spiritual. 
Ker  became  a  "furious  Republican"  and  at  the  same  time  shook  off  his  Pres- 
byterian orthodoxy.  After  leaving  the  University  he  migrated  to  the  territory 
of  Mississippi  and  in  1802  was  appointed  a  territorial  judge  by  President 
Jefferson,  in  which  office  he  served  until  his  death  in   1805. 


PART   OF   MR.    CALDWELL  S   LETTER  * 

"I  showed  our  correspondence  to  Dr.  Smith  the  day 
"after  I  received  your  last  letter.  He  read  it  and  hesitated 
"not  to  advise  my  acceptance.  He  is  not  well  satisfied  with 
"his  present  situation,  as  he  informed  me  before  I  left  him. 
"He  looked  at  the  plan  chosen  for  the  buildings  on  Chapel 
hill  &  went  so  far,  as  to  say  that  he  would  be  ready  to  relin- 
quish his  establishment  &  prospects  here  &  remove  to  your 
University,  if  the  trustees  or  those  in  whose  power  it  should 
be,  would  give  up  the  disposition  and  direction  of  affairs  into 
his  hands,  the  ordering  of  the  buildings  in  their  structure 
and  situation,  of  the  environs  of  the  University,  the  choice 
of  the  Library  &,  &.  He  thought  that  by  the  additional  ex- 
pense of  a  few  thousand  dollars  more  than  what  the  present 


The  Harris  Letters  35 

plan  will  require,  the  University  might  be  made  superior  in 
elegance  as  well  as  convenience  to  any  thing  in  our  country. 
It  is  an  undeniable  truth  that  Dr.  Smith  is  a  man  of  superior 
cultivation  and  taste.  These  are  so  far  from  being  super- 
ficial, that  they  are  entirely  of  the  solid  and  substantial  kind. 
His  reputation  as  a  man  of  genius,  of  science,  and  of  talents 
peculiarly  fitted  for  instruction  and  discipline  are  too  well 
known  to  you  &  to  the  people  of  the  U.  States  to  need  any  ex- 
planation. He  has  a  family  that  must  be  expensive  any 
where,  but  particularly  in  such  a  place  as  this ;  where  the 
inhabitants  with  whom  he  is  obliged  to  be  in  habits  of  cere- 
mony, affect  to  be  of  what  themselves  would  call  the  highest 
order.  Being  on  a  road  which  is  travelled  more  than  any 
other  in  the  IT.  States,  his  disposition  inclines  him,  and  his 
situation  obliges  him  to  receive  and  entertain,  with  much 
expense,  visitors  at  all  times.  It  is  by  no  means  necessary 
for  me  to  inform  you  that  the  inhabitants  of  this  place  were 
never  agreeable  to  him  nor  he  to  them.  As  to  his  health,  he 
declares  that  he  is  seriously  apprehensive  of  the  effects  of  the 
next  winter  upon  it.  He  has  filled  the  office  of  president 
with  more  mildness  than  he  did  that  of  vice  president.  The 
trustees  of  this  place  would  certainly  be  very  unwilling  to 
part  with  him. 

Joseph  Caldwell. 

•A  copy,  in  Harris'  hand,  of  Caldwell's  reply  to  the  preceding  letter.  It 
was  appended  by  Harris  to  the  succeeding  letter  to  James  Hogg,  of  Hills- 
borough, a  member  of  the  Trustee  committee  on  appointments.  It  is  to  convey 
the  information  both  of  Caldwell's  acceptance  of  the  Chair  of  Mathematics 
and  the  possibility  of  the  acceptance  by  Dr.  Samuel  Stanhope  Smith,  president 
of  Princeton,  of  the  presidency  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina  should  it 
be  offered  him.  Reading  between  the  lines,  one  may  conclude  that  unsatis- 
factory conditions  at  Princeton  at  that  date,  coupled  with  the  fair  prospects 
of  the  future  of  the  Univrsity  of  North  Carolina,  were  greater  in  their  In- 
fluence upon  Dr.  Smith's  attitude  than  the  minor  causes  which  Caldwell's 
letter  discloses.  However,  for  reasons  probably  financial  in  character,  the 
chance  of  securing  Dr.  Smith  was  let  slip  by  tne  Trustees,  the  negotiations 
never  taking  the  actual  form  of  an  offer  to  him  so  far  as  the  University 
records  disclose. 


University  Sep.  1st  1796. 
My  dear  friend, 

I  now  have  the  pleasure  of  informing  you  that  Mr.  Cald- 
well intends  to  accept  of  the  professorship  of  Mathematics 


36  James  Sprunt  Historical,  Publications 

at  this  place.  I  received  his  final  answer  by  last  Tuesday's 
post.  He  will  set  out  on  his  journey  in  the  first  week  of 
next  month  &  will  probably  arrive  about  the  first  of  Novem- 
ber. I  feel  a  secret  pride  in  finding  that  the  prospects  of  our 
national  institution  are  so  flattering,  as  to  entice  to  it  men  of 
real  abilities  and  merit ;  and  you  who  are  so  entirely  devoted 
to  its  interest  cannot  but  rejoice  that  you  have  thus  far  been 
successful  in  establishing  an  University.  I  had  communi- 
cated to  Mr.  Caldwell,  agreeably  to  his  request,  a  very  par- 
ticular, and  as  far  as  I  was  able,  an  accurate  account  of  our 
affairs,  and  for  his  information  had  enclosed  a  small,  rough 
plan  of  the  intended  situation  of  the  buildings,  avenues  and 
walks,  all  which  he  shewed  to  Dr.  Smith,  and  in  his  last 
letter  had  favoured  me  with  the  intelligence  which  I  have 
transcribed  into  the  annexed  paper.  Of  it  you  are  at  liberty 
to  make  what  use  you  think  proper,  as  you  are  one  of  the 
Committee  of  correspondence  and  appointments.  After  you 
have  perused  the  paper  I  beg  leave  to  add  the  following  re- 
marks respecting  Dr.  Smith.  He  is  as  elegant  and  accurate 
a  classical  scholar  as  any  professor  in  any  of  the  Northern 
Colleges.  He  has  devoted  much  time  to  the  study  of  moral 
and  political  Philosophy  &  the  philosophy  of  nature  and  we 
may  judge  of  his  progress  in  these,  by  some  of  his  publica- 
tions. He  is  well  versed  in  Rhetoric  &  the  Belles  Lettres 
his  style  is  said  to  be  neat,  &  elegant.  He  is  a  standard  of 
pronunciation,  and  his  delivery  is  articulate,  &  pleasing,  his 
gesture  easy  and  engaging.  In  short  he  is  possessed  of  many 
qualities  of  an  Orator.  His  age  is  near  fifty;  he  is  rather 
above  the  common  size  &  when  I  knew  him,  inclined  to  cor- 
pulency. He  is  universally  thought  handsome  in  his  person 
&  very  polite  in  his  manner.  What  Mr.  Caldwell  has  related 
of  the  conversation  between  Dr.  Smith  &  himself  is  in  a  loose, 
epistolary  style ;  and  the  conditions  mentioned  cannot  be  sup- 
posed to  be  determinate.  The  whole  I  submit  to  you.  For 
my  own  part  if  I  know  anything  of  Dr.  Smith  &  the  situation 
of  this  place  I  am  certain,  he  would  be  more  useful  than  any 


The  Harris  Letters  37 

man  you  could  procure  from  Connecticut  even  Bishop  Sea- 
bury  himself. 

As  to  our  affairs  at  present,  everything  goes  on  in  an 
ordinary  way.  The  young  gentlemen  have  not  put  us  to  the 
necessity  of  inflicting  any  high  censures  since  the  commence- 
ment of  the  session,  but  have  applied  themselves  to  their 
respective  studies  with  much  industry  and  regularity.  Mr. 
Kichards  who  assists  in  the  preparatory  school  writes  a  very 
fine  hand  <&  by  his  method  and  attention  promises  to  be  an 
acquisition  to  the  University  in  the  way  of  writing.  We 
expect  to  see  you  now  &  then  if  it  be  not  inconvenient.  Do 
me  the  honour  of  presenting  my  best  respects  to  your  family. 
I  am  sir,  your  most 

humble  servant 

Chas.  W.  Harris. 


Dr.  James  Ho 


0,(Tx 
&& 

Mr.  Gavin  Oliver  will  much  oblige  me  by  making  out  a  very 
small  abstract  of  the  state  of  the  funds  of  the  University. 
I  spoke  to  him  on  that  subject  at  our  last  examination. 

James  Hogg,  Esquire, 
Hillsborough. 


University 
Sept.  5th.  1796 
My  dear  friend, 

I  received  by  last  post  your  final  answer  on  the  subject 
of  our  correspondence — Your  determination  to  accept  of  the 
professorship  of  Mathematics  gives  me  great  pleasure,  and 
tho'  you  will  find  our  institution  in  an  infant  state,  yet  such 
a  foundation  has  been  laid,  and  so  great  are  the  exertions  on 
the  part  of  the  trustees,  that  I  entertain  scarce  any  doubts, 
but  it  will  be  brought  to  perfection  in  due  time.  I  am  sorry 
that  Dr.  Smith  is  not  agreeably  situated  at  Princeton.  I  had 
often  mentioned  his  name  to  the  trustees,  but  always  sup- 
posed that  no  offers  from  this  state  could  entice  him  from 
Nassau,  particularly  since  he  accepted  the  Presidency.     I 


38  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

wish  our  trustees  could  make  a  removal  to  the  University 
agreeable  and  profitable  to  him;  such  an  event  I  am  certain 
would  be  highly  useful  to  our  growing  institution.  At  any 
rate,  I  will  make  use  of  your  letter  to  introduce  proposals  of 
that  nature.  I  have  already  transmitted  extracts  of  it  to 
Gen.  Davie  of  Hallifax  and  Mr.  Hogg  of  Hillsborough,  they 
are  leading  trustees,  and  not  unacquainted  with  Dr.  Smith's 
literary  character. 

I  would  advise  you  to  relinquish  the  idea  of  coming  by 
water,  it  will  be  attended  with  many  difficulties,  and  prevent 
you  from  seeing  some  of  the  best  parts  of  the  II.  States.  To 
travel  by  stage  would  cost  50  Dollars  before  you  could  arrive 
at  Petersburg,  170  miles  from  this  place.  I  think  it  the 
best  plan  to  purchase  a  small  but  good  horse  and  a  single 
chair,  you  could  with  this  equipage  travel  very  conveniently 
and  as  expeditiously  as  on  single  horse.  In  your  chair  box 
you  could  carry  many  necessaries  which  you  might  need 
before  the  arrival  of  your  trunk.  This  plan  you  may  make 
as  cheap  as  you  please  and  keeping  the  post  road  through  the 
city  of  Washington,  Alexandria,  near  Mt.  Vernon,  Rich- 
mond, Petersburg,  &.  you  would  find  much  entertainment 
and  improve  your  knowledge  of  the  Geography  of  our  coun- 
try &  without  doubt  it  would  be  very  serviceable  to  your 
health.  The  loss  in  the  price  of  the  horse  could  not  be  con- 
siderable, and  I  would  take  the  chair  off  your  hands.  A  half- 
worn  chair,  if  well  made,  would  answer  your  purpose  &  be 
much  cheaper.  You  would  save  something  considerable  by 
filling  your  trunk  with  one  or  two  pieces  of  linen,  stockings, 
shoes,  broadcloth  and  whatever  articles  of  clothing  you  would 
need  in  the  course  of  a  year  all  which  are  much  dearer  here 
than  in  Philadelphia  &  sometimes  not  easily  procured. 

Your  trunks  may  be  addressed  to  Petersburg  as  on  the  an- 
nexed paper,  where  they  will  be  received,  and  cost  of  shipping 
paid  by  Mr.  Grain  &  Anderson,  who  will  forward  them  on  to 
Hillsborough  immediately,  they  will  receive  directions  to  this 
purpose  long  before  your  trunks  can  arrive.     If  no  ship  for 


The  Harris  Letters  39 

that  place  should  sail  while  you  are  at  Philadelphia,   Mr. 
Otto  can  superintend  that  business. 

I  wish  to  order  about  100  Dollars  worth  of  books  from 
Robert  Campbell,  Bookseller  in  the  city.  This  I  shall  do 
before  you  set  out.  You  would  oblige  me  by  putting  them 
in  the  same  line  of  conveyance  with  your  trunks  &  with  the 
same  address.  I  will  write  to  Mr.  Otto  on  the  subject,  from 
whom  you  will  receive  further  accounts.  Give  my  best  re- 
spects to  Dr.  Minto,  Dr.  Smith  &  Mr.  Hobart.  I  am,  sir, 
with  sincerity 

Your  friend, 

Chas.  W.  Harris. 
Mr.  Joseph  Caldwell. 

Chapel  Hill 

6th  Sept.  1796  25 

Mr.  Joseph  Caldwell, 
Princeton, 
New  Jersey. 


November  18th  1796. 
Dear  So:sr. 

About  this  time  I  thought  to  have  been  with  you,  but  the 
State  of  my  business  is  such  that  I  cannot  be  so  long  from 
home  without  suffering  some  of  my  purposes  to  mis^ary.  I 
herewith  send  you  some  business1  that  I  hope  you  will  trans- 
act for  me  at  the  Assembly  you  will  find  the  ground  work  of 
it  in  two  papers  I  send  you  with  this.  Some  time  after  Gen. 
Davidson  fell  in  the  defence  of  the  country,  the  General  As- 
sembly willing  to  do  his  heirs  what  Justice  they  could  under- 
took to  settle  his  Military  claims  themselves  and  allowed  his 
heirs  the  sum  of  Seven  hundred  and  thirty  six  pounds  Seven 
shillings  for  his  Services  to  the  United  States,  and  another 
sum  of  two  hundred  and  ninety  seven  pounds  from  the  State 
of  JNT.  Carolina. 


40  James  Spkunt  Historical  Publications 

After  some  time  the  heirs  of  the  deed  aledged  themselves 
injured  both  in  the  Quality  and  the  Quantity  of  the  allow- 
ance made  for  the  services  done  to  the  United  States,  in 
order  to  do  themselves  justice  the  heirs  with  the  advice  and 
assistance  of  their  friends  returned  all  the  pay  they  had  re- 
ceived from  the  State  No.  Carolina  in  order  that  they  might 
be  entitled  to  have  their  accounts  settled  on  the  same  prin- 
ciples other  continental  officers  had  and  recieve  hard  cash  in 
lieu  of  depreciated  paper  money.  The  Agent  who  transacted 
this  business  through  mistake  or  ignorance  returned  the  two 
hundred  and  ninety  seven  pounds  that  had  been  paid  for 
Militia  services  together  with  the  allowance  that  had  been 
made  for  Continental  services  you  will  find  from  the  papers 
I  send  you  that  one  thousand  and  thirty  three  pounds  in- 
cludes the  allowance  for  both  Continental  and  Militia  Ser- 
vices which  appears  to  be  all  the  heirs  ever  received  from 
North  Carolina.  To  make  you  to  understand  the  nature  of 
the  claim  I  will  state  some  facts 

First  The  allowance  made  to  the  heirs  of  Gen.  David- 
son by  the  State  of  North  Carolina  was  not  sufficient 
when  the  his  account  was  justly  settled  in  Philadelphia 
by  near  three  hundred  pounds. 

Second  The  whole  of  the  pay  the  heirs  ever  received 
from  North  Carolina  was  paid  back  including  Militia 
Services. 

Third  If  the  heirs  of  Gen.  Davidson  had  paid  back  no 
more  than  the  allowance  made  them  for  his  Continental 
Services  they  would  be  Intitled  to  A  settlement  with 
the  United  States. 

Fourthly  The  State  of  North  Carolina  never  refunded 
that  allowance  of  two  hundred  and  Ninety  seven  pounds 
that  was  made  to  them  for  his  Militia  Services  though 
it  was  returned  into  the  Treasurers  office  through  ignor- 
ance or  mistake  of  the  Agent. 

From  which  I  infer  that  Sum  of  two  hundred  and  Ninety 


The  Haeris  Letters  41 

Seven  pounds  is  yet  due  from  the  State  of  Worth  Carolina  to 
the  heirs  of  Gen.  Davidson. 

Dr.   Charley 

Your  prudence  will  direct  you  who  to  apply  to  for 
assistance  in  bringing  forward  this  Claim  Mr.  Lock  who  was 
one  of  the  engrossing  clerks  was  very  helpful  to  me  before 
in  this  business  Mr.  Craven2  who  is  Comtrouler  can  give 
you  the  [illegible]  respecting  this  of  any  person  I  can  Direct 
you  to. 

I  would  be  glad  you  could  make  it  convenient  to  go  to 
Raleigh  with  John  Davidson3  who  is  the  bearer  of  this  it  is 
easier  doing  business  of  this  sort  early  in  the  session  than 
towards  the  last  when  the  members  are  confused  and  anxious 
about  their  different  Interests  and  caprices  any  expense 
you  will  be  at  on  account  of  this  will  be  replaced  to  you.  If 
you  succeed  in  this  give  the  money  to  Col  Phifer4  or  bring 
it  with  you  when  you  come  home.  I  am  with  affection 
Yr.  Father 

Robt.  Harris. 
Mr.  Charles  W.  Harris. 

N".  B.     Remember  me  to  Bob5  I  hope  to  see  him  about  New 
Year. 

Before  you  put  in  your  memorial  enquire  whether  it 
would  be  better  to  petition  for  the  certifycates  that  was  Re- 
turned or  Money  to  the  amount. 

Addressed : 

Mr.  Charles  Harris 
Chapel  Hill. 

Endorsed: 

Gen.  Davidson. 


1  This  letter,  the  only  one  of  the  series  written  by  the  father  of  Charles 
Wilson  Harris,  was  made  available  by  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  R.  D.  W.  Connor, 
Secretary  of  the  North  Carolina  Historical  Commission.  Robert  Harris'  con- 
nection with  the  military  claims  of  the  Davidson  heirs  was  due  to  his  mar- 
riage with  Mrs.  Davidson  several  years  after  the  death  of  her  husband,  Gen- 
eral William  Lee  Davidson,  in  the  battle  of  Cowan's  Ford,  1781.  William  Lee 
Davidson,   of  Mecklenburg  county,   was  Major  in   the  fourth  of  the  six   regi- 


42  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

ments  raised  by  North  Carolina  in  1775  and  early  1776  and  tendered  to  Con- 
gress for  service  in  the  common  defense  of  the  country.  These  troops  were 
taken  into  the  Continental  service  by  Congress  on  the  7th  May,  1775,  their 
officers  being  duly  confirmed.  They  were  marched  to  the  North  under  General 
Francis  Nash  to  reinforce  the  Army  of  Washington.  After  arduous  service 
of  three  years  under  Washington  the  remainder  of  these  troops  were  sent 
South,  Nov.,  1779,  to  reinforce  General  Benjamin  Lincoln  in  South  Carolina. 
In  the  meantime  Davidson  had  been  promoted  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant 
colonel.  Passing  through  North  Carolina  he  obtained  leave  to  visit  his  family. 
When  his  furlough  was  about  to  expire  he  attempted  to  rejoin  his  regiment  at 
Charleston,  but  found  the  city  so  closely  beleaguered  by  the  British  that  it 
was  impossible  to  do  so.  When  Charleston  capitulated,  in  May,  1780,  David- 
son's regiment  became  prisoners  of  war,  thus  leaving  him  without  a  command. 
Thereupon  he  returned  to  North  Carolina  and  raised  in  Mecklenburg  and  ad- 
joining counties  a  volunteer  corps  for  the  purpose  of  overthrowing  the  Tories 
of  the  back  country,  who  had  become  particularly  aggressive  since  Lincoln's 
capitulation  at  Charleston.  He  was  engaged  in  this  service  until  General 
Horatio  Gates'  defeat  on  the  16th  August,  at  Camden.  In  this  battle  Griffith 
Rutherford,  brigadier-general  of  North  Carolina  militia  in  the  Salisbury  Dis- 
trict, was  taken  prisoner.  The  North  Carolina  Board  of  War  temporarily 
assigned  Henry  William  Harrington  to  Rutherford's  post  and  on  the  31st 
August  the  legislature  appointed  Davidson  to  the  command  as  brigadier-gen- 
eral until  such  time  as  Rutherford  should  be  released.  General  Davidson 
does  not  appear  to  have  assumed  active  command  in  the  district  until  the  1st 
of  January,  1781,  at  which  date  he  resigned  as  lieutenant  colonel  in  the 
Continental  Army.  One  month  later,  February  1,  he  was  killed  at  Cowan's 
Ford,  on  the  Catawba,  where  he  had  posted  his  forces  at  General  Nathaniel 
Greene's  order  to  oppose  the  crossing  of  Cornwallis'  Army.  Hence  arose  the 
claim  of  his  heirs,  upon  both  the  United  States  and  the  State  of  North 
Carolina.  Their  claims  against  the  United  States  were  under  the  terms  of  a 
resolution  of  Congress  of  the  24th  August,  1780,  which  granted  half-pay  for 
seven  years  to  the  officers  of  the  army  who  should  continue  in  the  service  to 
the  end  of  the  war,  or  to  the  widows,  or  orpnans  of  those  who  should  die  in 
the  service,  to  commence  from  the  time  of  such  officer's  death.  The  settle- 
ment of  both  claims  by  the  State  of  North  Carolina  was  rejected,  as  noted 
in  the  letter.  Then  the  state  adjusted  the  claim  for  militia  service  alone,  the 
claim  against  the  United  States  continuing  until  finally  settled  by  the  34th 
Consrress,  January  1,  1857.  The  reason  for  the  long  delay  rested  in  the  fact 
that  Davidson's  death  did  not  occur  while  in  the  Continental  Army  and  hence, 
technically,  his  heirs  had  no  claim  under  the  resolution  of  Congress  of  1780. 
T^?  settlement  of  1857  was  therefore  an  act  of  grace. 

2.Tohn  Craven,  of  Haliiax,  State  Comptroller  from  1784  to  1808. 

3  Third  son  of  General  William  Lee  Davidson.  The  other  Davidson  heirs 
were  :   George,   William   Lee,   Ephraim,  Parmela,   and  Margaret. 

4  Caleb  Phifer,  born  at  "Cold  Water,"  Cabarrus  county  (then  a  part  of 
Anson)  April  8,  1749:  died  July  3,  1811.  He  represented  Mecklenburg  in 
the  lower  branch  of  the  state  legislature  from  1778  to  1792  ;  one  term  ex- 
cepted, that  of  1790.  His  portion  of  Mecklenburg  being  erected  into  Cabarrus 
in  1792  he  became  its  first  state  senator  in  1793  and  served  continuously  to 
1801.  His  title  of  "Colonel"  appears  to  have  been  a  courtesy  title,  or  else 
confused  with  that  of  his  brother  John,  who  was  major,  and  lieutenant  colonel 
in  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 

0  Robert  Wilson  Harris,  son  of  the  writer,  and  a  student  in  the  Univer- 
sity.    See  earlier  note. 


Hillsboro,  April  11,  1797. 
Dear  Sir, 

I  have  arrived  safe  at  this  place  and  attended  the  busi- 
ness of  the  court  for  one  day,  but  have  not  gone  to  the  Uni- 


The  Harris  Letters  43 

versity.1  The  political  opinions2  run  strongly  against  the 
French  who  are  without  reserve  called  a  pack  of  damn'd  vil- 
lains, the  same  prevails  over  all  the  lower  parts  of  the  state 
with  but  few  solitary  exceptions.  The  relations  given  by 
Captains  and  sailors  from  the  West  Indies  who  have  been 
robbed  of  everything  and  have  experienced  personal  insults 
added  to  injury  have  much  excited  the  passions  of  the  people. 
Mr.  Hogg3  is  just  from  Wilmington  and  says  that  the  sailors 
have  attempted  to  raise  a  mob  and  drive  off  the  French 
frigate  that  now  lies  in  that  place,  as  it  is  considered  very 
hard  that  they  should  lie  and  furnish  themselves  in  our 
ports,4  then  sail  out  and  take  all  our  vessels  without  dis- 
crimination. Mr.  Hogg  attended  the  play  at  Wilmington  for 
two  evenings  where  great  numbers  were  present  of  all  classes. 
In  the  interludes  the  company  was  entertained  with  music, 
when  the  French  patriotic  tunes  were  called  for,  they  were 
incessantly  hissed,  and  the  musicians  obliged  to  cease.  At 
one  time  God  Save  the  King  was  called,  a  little  hissing  was 
heard  but  the  other  party  drowned  it  with  a  general  and  loud 
applause.  This  will  serve  to  show  the  great  change  in  the 
minds  of  the  people.  Several  gentlemen  are  in  town  who  say 
they  have  seen  a  proclamation  of  the  present  president5  call- 
ing a  Congress  to  meet  on  the  last  of  the  month.  We  do  not 
altogether  believe  the  account  as  the  gentlemen  express  some 
doubt  respecting  the  authenticity  of  the  publication.  Mrs. 
Kirkland  of  whom  we  were  conversing  is  now  on  the  re- 
covery. Please  present  my  respects  to  Aunt  Sally  and  am 
yours, 

Chas.  W.  Harris. 
Dr.  Charles  Harris,  Esquire. 
Cabarrus. 


1  This  letter  was  written  by  Harris  at  Hillsboro  while  on  his  way  from 
Cabarrus  to  Halifax,  where  he  proposed  to  take  up  the  pursuit  of  the  law  In 
General  Davie's  office.  lie  had  ended  his  connection  with  the  University  the 
previous  December,  his  duties  as  administrative  officer  of  the  institution 
temporarily  resting  in  the  hands  of  Caldwell  until  James  Smiley  Gillesiie 
was  chosen  by  the  Trustees  as  principal  of  the  University  in  December,  1707. 

2  In  reference  to  the  all-absorbing  question  of  the  European  struggle  and 
the  relation  of  our  infant  republic  thereto.  North  Carolina  opinion  during 
the  early  phases  of  the  French  Revolution  had  been  strongly  pro-French,  but 


44  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

with  the  excesses  of  the  "Terror"  fresh  in  mind,  and  Prance's  persistent  efforts 
to  involve  the  United  States  in  the  struggle  on  her  side,  together  with  her 
rejection,  Februrary,  1797,  of  Charles  C.  Pinekney  as  our  accredited  represen- 
tative, public  opinion  in  the  state  veered  around  and  was  now  running 
strongly    against    Prance. 

3  Either  James  Hogg,  merchant  of  Wilmington,  Payetteville,  and  Hills- 
boro,  or  his  son  John  Hogg.  The  elder  Hogg  was  one  of  the  strongest  sup- 
porters of  the  recently  founded  state  University,  being  perhaps  second  only 
to  Davie  in  his  usefulness  to  its  interests.  A  trustee  from  1789  to  1802,  he 
attended  all  meetings  of  that  body,  frequently  visited  the  institution,  was  a 
member  of  the  Trustee  committee  on  appointments,  and  a  member  of  the 
committee  that  selected  a  device  for  a  seal.  His  son,  John  Hogg,  was  a 
partner  with  his  father  in  business  and  a  member  from  Orange  in  the  lower 
branch  of  the  state  legislature  in  1794   and  1796. 

*  Our  treaty  of  alliance  with  France  in  1778  provided  that  the  French 
might  bring  their  prizes  into  our  ports  and  that  enemies  of  France  might 
not  fit  out  privateers  in  the  said  ports.  Genet,  French  republican  minister 
in  1793,  had  interpreted  this  to  imply  that  French  prizes  might  not  only 
be  brought  in,  but  sold  also,  and  that  France  under  the  treaty  possessed  the 
right  to  fit  out  privateers  in  our  harbors.  Washington  and  his  cabinet  inter- 
preted the  treaty  to  mean  that  France  might  fit  out  such  privateers,  but  not 
use  our  ports  as  a  base  for  their  operations  against  her  enemy.  Also  the  right 
to  sell  in  our  ports  prizes  taken  at  sea  was  denied.  Hence  the  situation  as 
complained  of  above  :  French  privateers  fitted  out  in  our  ports  and  then  lay 
off  the  same  ports  for  the  capture  of  our  vessels  claimed  to  be  carrying 
contraband. 

3  President  John  Adams,  inaugurated  March  4,  1794.  Despite  our  strained 
relations  with  France  be  did  not  call  the  extra  session  of  Congress  sug- 
gested above. 


Halifax,  May  8th,  1797. 
Dear  Uncle  : 

I  have  arrived  safe  at  this  place  and  find  myself  pretty 
well  fixed  for  study,  tho  surrounded  on  all  sides  with  a  great 
variety  of  amusements,  in  every  respect  calculated  to  engage 
the  attention  of  one  in  the  vigor  of  youth.  I  spent  a  few 
evenings  in  forming  an  acquaintance  in  some  of  the  neigh- 
bouring families,  but  generally  was  busily  occupied  with  the 
affairs  of  court,  as  I  enlisted  at  once  into  the  drudgery  of 
General  Davie's  office,  at  present  I  feel  a  little  relieved  for 
court  rose  on  yesterday  evening.  Every  one  here  is  much 
agitated  by  the  near  approach  of  a  cock-fight  which  begins  on 
this  afternoon.  There  have  been  several  pack-fights  but  none 
so  decisive  as  to  enable  us  to  guess  what  will  be  the  fate  of 
the  general  engagement.1  The  gentlemen  in  town  fight 
against  those  of  the  country,  otherwise  it  is  the  Longs  against 
the  Alstons.  Tho  know  my  purse  is  not  much  interested  in 
the  affair,  yet  as  an  inhabitant  of  the  town  I  hope  the  event 
will  be  favorable  to  the  town  party.     But  Hodge  without 


The  Harris  Letters  45 

doubt  will  announce  to  you  in  his  journal  the  issue  of  so  im- 
portant a  conflict. 

The  most  renowned  Dr.  Perkins2  left  town  yesterday. 
He  has  been  operating  for  a  week  past  upon  the  sick  and  the 
lame,  the  deaf  and  the  dumb,  and  blind  in  this  neighbor- 
hood. Some  assert  that  all  the  miracles  mentioned  in  the 
gospels  have  been  wrought  anew.  Others  are  infidels.  How- 
ever, none  complains  of  his  charges  for  he  labored  without 
money  and  without  price.  I  had  not  the  pleasure  of  hearing 
much  of  the  doctor's  conversation  and  should  I  judge  from 
his  appearance,  I  would  conclude,  that  if  there  be  anything 
uncommon  in  his  points,  that  the  discovery  was  made  like 
all  other  great  discoveries — by  accident.  He  is  about  fifty 
five  or  sixty  years  old,  considerably  above  the  common  size, 
his  eyebrows  remarkably  large  and  heavy,  his  nose,  lips,  and 
chin  denote  rather  the  fatness  of  his  head  than  the  sprightli- 
ness  of  his  genius.  He  seems  as  if  he  had  been  more  ac- 
customed to  sleeping  and  eating  than  studying  or  making  dis- 
coveries, or  as  if  he  had  oftener  drunk  from  a  tun  of  beer, 
than  sipped  from  Helicon's  fountain. 

I  am,  dear  sir,  your  friend  and  servant, 

Chas.  W.  Harris. 
Doctor  Charles  Harris, 

Cabarrus. 


1  Evidently  reference  to  local  politics  and  local  political  loaders.  There 
were  numerous  Longs  and  Alstons  in  the  town  and  county  of  Halifax  at  this 
date.  Halifax  was  one  of  the  seven  borough  towns  in  the  state  with  the 
right  of  separate  representation  in  the  lower  house.  Richard  H.  Long  repre- 
sented the  town  in  1792,  1708,  1799,  and  1800.  Willis  Alston  was  one  of 
the  county  representatives,  either  in  the  house  or  senate,  from  1790  to  1795. 
Elected  to  Congress  in  1799  he  served  until  1815,  and  again  from  1825  to 
1831.  He  was  a  Republican  in  politics  and  Chairman  of  the  Ways  and  Means 
Committee  during  the  was  of  1812. 

2  I'robably  Dr.  Elisha  Perkins,  of  Connecticut,  who  in  1798  patented  certain 
"magnetic  tractors"  for  the  cure  of  various  human  ills.  These  "tractors" 
were  compass-like  affairs,  with  one  blunt  pointed  and  one  sharp-pointed 
arm,  made  of  combinations  of  copper,  zinc,  and  gold,  or  iron,  silver,  and 
platinum.  Cures  were  effected  by  stroking,  and  their  principle  of  action  was 
supposed  to  be  analogous  to  that  of  galvanism  or  animal  magnetism.  The 
"tractors"  of  Dr.  Perkins  had  a  remarkable  vogue  in  England  as  well  as  In 
this  country  in  the  early  19th  century. 


Halifax,  July. 
My  dear  Brother,1 

It  is  with  pleasure  that  I  learn  from  your  letter  the 


46  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

progress  you  have  made  in  the  studies  of  college,  as  also  in 
your  private  reading — the  only  thing  you  have  to  attend  to, 
is  that  you  read  no  more  than  you  are  able  to  digest  properly. 
By  now  reflecting  upon  what  you  have  read  it  will  be  easier 
to  discover  whether  you  read  with  due  attention.  Suppose 
I  were  to  ask  you  from  Anson's  voyage2  what  was  the  object 
of  his  expedition  ?  Why  did  he  fail  in  a  great  measure  ? 
What  part  of  his  conduct  shows  most  clearly  his  courage  ?  his 
perseverance,  or  his  humanity?  What  is  the  feudal  system? 
How  introduced  into  England  ?  When  was  the  present  form 
of  Government  established  ?  Whether  was  Charles  I  or  his 
parliament  most  to  blame  in  the  civil  wars  ?  By  making  a 
few  simple  questions  of  this  kind  you  will  readily  discover 
your  strength. 

I  am  not  surprised  that  you  should  have  the  mumps, 
when  they  are  so  generally  prevalent.  As  you  had  the  small- 
pox when  a  child  you  need  not  fear  them — a  circumstance 
with  which  perhaps  you  are  unacquainted. 

You  will  in  July  probably  have  a  short  vacation  and  may 
be  inclined  to  visit  Hillsborough.  I  owe  Mrs.  Estis  ten  dol- 
lars for  a  bed  which  I  have  heretofore  neglected  to  pay.  You 
would  oblige  me  by  calling  upon  her  and  discharging  the 
debt,  also  make  an  apology  for  the  tardy  payment.  I  will 
write  to  Mr.  Richards3  and  request  him  to  give  you  money 
for  that  purpose. 

You  are  desirous  that  I  would  send  a  description  of  the 
spinning  machine.  This  I  could  not  do  without  making  a 
rough  plan  upon  paper,  which  will  require  some  time.  When 
I  have  time  I  shall  take  pleasure  in  satisfying  your  curiosity. 

I  have  heard  nothing  of  my  horse.  Please  let  me  know 
how  he  comes  on.4  You  can  write  by  Dr.  Hall5  or  others  of 
this  town  who  will  be  at  your  examination. 

I  am,  dear  sir,  with  affection, 

Your  brother, 

Chas.  W.  Harris. 
Mr.  Robert  Harris. 
University. 


The  Harris  Letters  47 

1  Robert  Wilson  Harris,  younger  and  only  brother  of  Charles  Wilson 
Harris,  was  bom  in  1779  at  Ragton,  his  fathers'  home  upon  the  "Mill  Grove 
Tract"  in  the  Poplar  Tent  district,  Cabarrus.  He  entered  the  U  diversity 
during  its  second  session,  which  began  in  August,  1795.  He  seems  to  have 
remained  a  student  there  until  sometime  in  November,  1797.  Prom  this  date 
he  remained  with  his  father  in  Cabarrus  until  about  February,  1799,  at 
which  time  he  undertook  a  mercantile  career  at  Salisbury,  In  1801  he  set 
up  a  mercantile  business  at  Sneedsboro,  on  the  Pedee  River,  in  Anson  county, 
and  here  remained  until  his  death  in  1S12. 

2  The  book  to  which  Harris  here  refers  was  published  in  London,  1784,  by 
John  and  Paul  Knapton,  with  the  title  page  as  follows  :  "A  Voyage  round 
the  World  in  the  Years  1740-1744,  By  George  Anson,  Esq.,  Commander  in 
Chief  of  His  Majesty's  ships  sent  upon  an  expedition  to  the  South  Seas. 
Compiled  from  papers  and  other  materials  of  the  Right  Honorable  George 
Lord  Anson,  and  published  under  his  Direction.  By  Richard  Walter."  It  was 
during  the  "War  of  Jenkins  Ear,"  between  England  and  Spain,  1739-42,  that 
Anson,  with  six  ships  set  out  for  the  Pacific  by  way  of  Cape  Horn.  Fie 
plurdered  the  Spanish  ports  and  shipping  up  the  whole  west  coast  of  South 
America,  captured  Spanish  treasure  to  the  amount  of  500,000  pounds  In 
gold,  crossed  to  the  Philippines,  plundered  these,  and  returned  to  England 
around  Africa.  His  exploits  during  this  memorable  voyage  recalled  to  the 
English  navy  the  old  glories  of  Drake  and  the  other  sea  captains  of  the 
Elizabethan  Era. 

3  William  Augustus  Richards,  teacher  in  the  Grammar  School  and  tutor  in 
the  University  in  English,  French,  and  sometimes  German  from  1796  to  his 
death  in  1798.  Richards  was  an  Englishman  of  varied  attainments  and 
experiences.  He  had  seen  service  both  in  the  English  navy  and  the  merchant 
marine.  In  America  he  had  become  a  strolling  player,  his  troupe  becoming 
stranded  at  Warrenton,  North  Carolina,  whereupon  he  secured  employment 
as  a  teacher  in  the  "Academy"  of  that  place.  He  showed  such  proficiency  in 
this  role  that,  falling  under  the  observation  of  certain  members  of  the  Uni- 
versity's board  of  Trustees,  he  was  procured  for  the  work  at  the  University 
as  above  stated.  Here,  in  an  exemplary  manner,  he  justified  the  confidence 
of  his  sponsors  and  acquired  that  of  everyone  connected  with  the  institution. 
During  a  part  of  his  service  Richards  acted  as  Treasurer  of  the  University,  a 
chief  duty  of  the  office  at  this  period  being  to  serve  as  repository  of  the 
funds  for  students  and  to  pay  out  the  same  upon  order  from  parents  and 
guardians. 

4  Horse  probably  left  by  Harris  at  Chapel  Hill  upon  his  retirement  from 
service  at  the  University.  It  was  likely  now  at  the  use  of  his  brother,  or 
awaiting  sale.  The  ownership  of  a  horse  for  riding  was  at  this  date  a 
necessity  in  North  Carolina  to  every  lawyer,  preacher,  practitioner,  teacher, 
and  all  others  whose  interests  required  any  degree  of  travel.  Ponulation  was 
yet  too  sparse,  and  roads  too  undeveloped  to  justify  stage-coach  lines  west  of 
Warrenton.  The  luxurious  traveler  sometimes  used  a  "chair."  or  two- 
wheeled,  one-seated  vehicle  known  to  the  present  generation  as  the  "sulky" 
or  "dog-enrt  :"  but  the  average  traveler  went  on  horse-back. 

5  Probably  Reverend  Tames  Hall.  D.  D.  (Princeton  and  the  University  of 
North  Carolina),  who  as  Synod  Missionary  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
Caroliras  at  this  date,  was  an  untiring  traveler  throughout  North  Carolina 
and  adjoining  states.  Dr.  Flail  was  born  and  reared  in  Iredell  county  (then 
a  part  of  Rowan).  Flo  graduated  at  Princeton  in  1774  and  at  once  entered 
the  ministry  in  his  native  region.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution  in 
1775  he  became  an  ardent  patriot  and  an  inspiration  to  the  cause  of  inde- 
pendence. In  1779  he  became  cantain  to  a  volunteer  comnany  of  cavalry 
organized  in  his  district  and,  a  little  Inter,  chaplain  of  the  regiment  into 
which  his  company  was  integrated.  In  this  double  capacity  of  chaplain  and 
captain  he  did  yeoman  service  against  Cornwallis'  invasion,  1780-81.  After 
the  war  he  resumed  his  ministry  with  great  vigor  and  effectiveness.  Dr.  Hall 
was  greatly  interested  in  the  fortunes  of  the  State  University,  frequently 
visited  it,  and  was  an  early  donor  of  books  to  its  library.  He  died  in  1826 
at  the  rine  age  of  eighty-two  ypars.  For  a  full  sketch  of  this  remarkable  man, 
see  Foote's  Sketches  of  North  Carolina,  Chapter  24. 


48  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

-p.         -p  Halifax,  July  8,  '97. 

Dear  .Brother:  '         J     ' 

Inclosed  I  send  an  unsealed  letter  to  Mrs.  Estis,  hoping 

you  will  read  and  seal  it  before  you  deliver  it  to  Mrs.  Estis.1 

Mr.  Richards  will  give  you  the  money  when  you  demand  it. 

Please  settle  the  account  when  you  next  go  to  Hillsborough. 

I  am  your  brother, 

Mr.  Robert  Harris,  Chas.  W.  Harris. 

University. 

irrhis  business   matter  with   Mrs.   Estis,   of   Hillsboro,   is   explained  in   the 
previous  letter  above. 


t,         ^  Halifax,  Aug.  26th,  1797. 

Dear   Uncle,  ° 

I  venture  still  upon  a  stay  in  this  sickly  country.  So  much 
is  to  be  performed  in  the  way  of  study  before  a  man  can 
enter  (with  any  prospects  of  success),  upon  the  practice  of 
law,1  that  I  am  induced  to  prolong  my  opportunities  of  im- 
provement at  this  place,  and  if  one  or  two  lawyers  who  now 
plead  in  the  neighbouring  counties  should  die  or  decline 
business,  probably  I  might  make  my  first  attempts  in  Halifax 
district.  I  have  some  distant  hope  that  Blake  Baker2  will 
be  promoted  to  the  bench  by  the  next  Assembly.  I  shall  not 
fix  myself  before  that  period. 

You  perhaps  have  heard  that  Dr.  Perkins,  for  his  great 
skill  in  metallics,  has  been  expelled  from  the  Medical  So- 
ciety in  Massachusetts,  a  doctor  in  New  York  not  long  since 
published  a  very  rational  piece  on  these  extraordinary  points. 
He  admits  that  they  indubitably  have  their  effect  in  several 
instances  but  not  to  the  extent  which  Dr.  P.  has  alleged.  He 
admits  no  operation  of  electricity  or  magnetism,  as  many 
scribblers  on  the  subject  have  supposed,  and  accounts  for 
their  power  by  the  tickling  and  pleasing  titulation  which 
their  application  to  the  skin  may  occasion,  this  being  a  sensa- 
tion so  opposite  to  a  pain  in  the  muscular  parts,  that  the 
latter  often  is  overcome  and  a  spasm  or  constriction  may  be 
removed.  Of  course  an  ivory  toothpick  or  a  tickling  straw 
may  be  as  useful  as  Brass  and  Iron. 


The  Harris  Letters  49 

Inclosed  I  send  a  letter  to  Mr.  Edwin  Eeese  respecting  a 
vacancy  in  the  University  which  may  be  at  his  choice.  I 
hope  you  will  forward  it  by  post  if  not  better  nor  more  ready 
conveyance  offers.  If  I  have  mistaken  his  address  be  so 
kind  as  to  correct  it.  My  best  respects  to  Aunt  Sally.  I  hope 
you  will  long  enjoy  uninterrupted  health  and  be  the  means 
of  bestowing  the  same  blessing  on  a  great  number  of  patients. 
I  am,  sir,  with  respect  yours, 

Chas.  W.  Harris. 
Doctor  Charles  Harris. 
Cabarrus. 


1  Harris  was  now  reading  law  under  the  supervision  of  General  Wm.  R. 
Davie  and  at  the  same  time  assisting  Davie  in  the  office  end  of  his  work. 
He  procured  his  license  to  practice  in  1798,  and  in  1799  assumed  the  whole 
burden  of  Davie's  practice  when  the  latter  became  Commissioner  to  France. 

2  Blake  Baker  was  a  native  of  Warren  County.  He  was  Attorney-General 
of  North  Carolina  from  1795  to  1802.  In  1S07  he  represented  Warren 
county  in  the  state  legislature.  In  1808  he  was  appointed  by  Governor 
David  Stone  one  of  the  judges  of  Superior  Court.  He  was  a  violent  Repub- 
lican partizan  from  about  1799  to  the  date  of  his  death,  1818. 


Halifax,  Sept.  22,  1797. 
My  dear  Brother, 

It  is  so  long  since  I  received  a  letter  from  you  that  I  am 
entirely  unacquainted  with  your  progress  in  your  studies. 
I  hear  a  good  report,  in  general,  of  the  University,  and  I 
natter  myself  that  your  industry  and  talents  keep  you  from 
being  ranked  among  the  dullest  of  your  fellow  students.  In 
the  letter  which  I  have  received  from  you,  there  is  a  uni- 
form silence  respecting  your  plan  for  life.  You  are  now 
seventeen  years  of  age  and  must  know  that  much  depends 
upon  your  own  exertions  and  your  own  plans ;  and  whatever 
deference  you  may  be  disposed  to  pay  to  the  advice  of  friends 
I  can  hardly  be  persuaded  to  believe  that  you  will  entirely 
submit  to  their  direction  and  disposition,  without  so  much  as 
exercising  your  own  choice.  Whatever  that  choice  may  be, 
you  ought  to  make  it  known,  that  your  friends  may  assist 
you  in  bringing  it  into  operation.  In  conversation  you  have 
informed  me  that  you  had  a  predilection  for  merchandise,  it 
is  probable  that  you  still  continue  in  the  same  mind.    In  con- 


50  James  Sprunt  Historical,  Publications 

sequence  of  what  you  then  said  I  have  ever  since  been  enquir- 
ing for  an  eligible  situation,  in  that  line,  for  a  beginner.  But 
previously  having  mentioned  the  subject  to  your  father,  he 
neither  approving  nor  disapproving  in  direct  terms,  I  took 
it  for  granted  that  he  would  find  no  difficulty  in  consenting 
to  anything  which  would  apparently  promote  your  interest. 
Tho'  my  ignorance  of  the  minutia  of  trade  may  render  it  im- 
possible for  me  to  particularize  the  qualifications  necessary 
for  one  about  to  enter  the  business,  yet  I  am  certain  that, 
industry  and  frugality,  steady  perseverance,  honesty  and 
punctuality  are  essential  in  a  mercantile  character  and  I  hope 
that  in  these  you  would  not  be  found  deficient.  A  good  and 
accurate  knowledge  of  accounts  and  an  easy  business  hand 
are  not  matters  of  small  consequence.  When  I  last  had  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  you  I  particularly  requested  you  to  make 
all  possible  improvements  in  Book-keeping  and  writing.  I 
hope  you  have  not  neglected  them.  Your  last  letters  were 
written  something  better  than  usual,  but  there  is  great  room 
for  improvement. 

I  have  now  in  view  a  merchant  of  my  acquaintance  to 
whom  I  have  mentioned  you,  he  carries  on  business  very  ex- 
tensively and  is  still  wishing  to  extend  it  farther.  He  owns 
several  vessels,  three  of  which  are  now  at  sea,  one  on  a  voy- 
age to  London,  the  others  to  West  Indies.  He  may  have  use 
for  such  a  person  as  you.  I  will  know  the  particulars  before 
my  return,  and  if  the  prospect  is  good  I  shall  make  con- 
ditional proposals  to  him  in  your  behalf.  In  the  meantime, 
let  me  hear  from  you  and  also  from  home  if  you  have  received 
any  late  accounts.  I  have  received  but  one  letter  from  my 
father  since  I  left  the  back  country.  I  am  with  respect  and 
affection,  Dear  Sir, 

Your  brother, 

Charles  W.  Harris. 

Present  my  respects  to  the  Gentlemen  of  the  University. 

Mr.  Eobert  Harris. 
University. 


The  Harris  Letters  51 

Halifax,  Oct.  29th,  1797. 
Dear  Brother, 

I  received  your  letter  in  answer  to  mine  respecting  your 
intention  of  entering  into  merchandise  and  am  happy  to  find 
that  you  agree  with  me  upon  that  subject.  You  mention  a 
plan  which  you  had  formed  of  improving  the  farm  on  Rocky 
River.  That  would,  at  best,  be  confining  your  exertions  to  a 
very  small  sphere.  Your  father's  farm  which  he  has  always 
designed  for  you,  is  very  much  cut  down,  and  taking  into 
calculation  the  mills  and  stills,  cannot  be  very  productive, 
besides  it  lies  in  a  distant  and  retired  part  of  the  country 
where  fortune  would  rarely  throw  bars  of  gold  into  your  lap. 
She  deals  out  her  favors  in  busier  and  more  crowded  coun- 
tries. 

One  of  Mr.  Drew's1  Brigs  has  arrived  from  the  West 
Indies.  His  ship  the  Poll  Carey  got  safe  to  London,  is  now 
daily  expected  at  Edenton,  and  must  soon  arrive,  unless  the 
savage  Sans  cullottes2  be  kind  enough  to  pilot  her  into  some 
of  the  Republican  ports.3  Mr.  Drew  is  now  in  Halifax.  I 
have  spoken  to  him  respecting  you,  and  from  your  character 
he  appears  desirous  of  having  you  with  him  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. Especially  if  the  Poll  Carey  makes  her  port.  The 
employment  he  will  give  you  is  of  the  most  extensive  kind. 
You  would  stay  in  a  store  in  Halifax  until  the  spring,  when 
his  vessels  sail,  he  says  you  shall  go  Supercargo  to  Havana  or 
to  London  or  some  other  place  in  Europe.  He  expects  that 
you  will  not  refuse  to  attend  to  his  business  in  any  part  of 
the  world  wherever  his  interest  may  lie,  and  it  may  at  times 
be  necessary  for  you  to  remain  in  London  or  elsewhere  six 
months  or  more  to  transact  his  concerns.  What  he  will  allow 
you  I  have  not,  nor  shall  not  enquire ;  industry,  honesty  and 
abilities  will  not  go  unrewarded.  This  much  I  have  been 
able  to  do  for  you,  it  is  but  trifling ;  the  burthen  of  any  man's 
interest  must  rest  upon  himself.  I  hope  you  are  employing 
every  moment  of  leisure  time  in  writing,  accounts,  etc.  In 
pursuing  this  plan,  as  it  requires  that  you  should  be  at  a 
distance  from  home,  you  must  consider  the  feelings  of  your 


52  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

father,  who  always  has  been  particularly  attached  to  you. 
His  hearty  consent  you  must  endeavor  to  obtain.  This  is  the 
more  necessary  because  he  has  none  of  his  children  with  him, 
is  now  less  able  to  attend  to  the  more  active  and  laborious 
part  of  his  business.  I  will  be  at  the  University  by  the  14th 
of  Nov.  when  I  shall  converse  with  you  further  on  the  sub- 
ject of  this  letter.  In  the  meantime  do  as  your  friends  would 
wish,  and  may  you  prosper. 

I  am,  your  brother,  with  affection, 

Charles  W.  Harris. 
Mr.  Robert  Harris. 
University, 

1ST.   Carolina. 

I  have  taken  Superior  court  license  and  shall  return  to  this 
place  after  Christmas.     Perhaps  you  will  come  with  me. 


1John  and  Williams  Drew  were  merchants  and  traders  at  Halifax  and 
Edenton,  doing  a  general  carrying  trade  and  export  business.  In  1793-94 
they  gave,  respectively,  64  and  10  dollars  upon  subscription  to  the  University. 
Evidently,  as  suggested  in  a  previous  letter,  Charles  W.  Harris  had  secured  the 
offer  of  an  apprenticeship  for  his  brother,  Robert,  with  the  Drew  mercantile 
Interests. 

2Breechless  fellows,  a  name  of  reproach  given  by  the  aristocrats  at  the 
time  of  the  French  Revolution  to  one  belonging  to  the  extreme  republican 
party,  the  members  of  which  had  rejected  short  breeches,  an  article  of  dress 
peculiar  to  the  upper  class,  and  had  adopted  pantaloons. 

3.  France  in  1797  was  openly  preying  upon  our  trade  under  color  of 
contraband  laws  and  English  precedent,  to  which  the  infant  United  States  had 
submitted.  In  reality  France's  Republican  Government  (The  Directory  at 
this  time)  was  actuated  by  resentment  at  our  interpretation  of  our  treaty 
with  France  (made  1778),  and  by  the  profits  accruing  from  plundering  a 
nation  clearly  too  weak  to  resist.  Our  Commissioners,  Pinckney,  Marshall, 
and  Gerry  were  this  very  month  (Oct.,  1797)  in  Paris  trying  to  open  nego- 
tiations with  the  corrupt  Direr-lory  If.,  close  up  all  causes  of  tension  between 
France  and  America.  Their  efforts  ended  in  the  "X.  Y.  Z."  Incident,  and  a 
burst  of  indignation  throughout  America. 


Halifax,  November  12th,  1797. 
Dear  Brother, 

The  alteration  which  has  taken  place  in  my  plans  since 
I  last  wrote  to  you  has  made  it  necessary  for  me  to  defer  my 
journey  to  the  back  [country]  for  ten  days  longer  than  I  had 
at  first  intended.  Court  in  Nash  county  begins  on  tomorrow, 
in  Halifax  next  week.     I  must  attend  to  them  before  I  set 


The  Harris  Letters  53 

out.  I  hope  you  have  provided  a  horse  and  everything 
necessary  to  go  to  Cabarrus1  immediately  after  the  exami- 
nations. Take  care  of  the  letter  I  last  wrote  to  you  respecting 
your  prospects  in  the  mercantile  line,  and  show  it  to  your 
father  when  you  introduce  a  conversation  with  him  on  that 
subject,  if  you  think  proper  to  consult  him  before  I  arrive  in 
Cabarrus,  which  will  be  about  the  30th  of  November.  Mr. 
Drew's  ship  Poll  Carey  has  not  yet  come  to  port. 

As  I  shall  have  a  great  number  of  books  to  bring  from 
the  back  country2  on  my  return  to  Halifax,  I  would  be  will- 
ing that  such  as  are  at  the  University  should  be  conveyed  by 
some  of  the  young  gentlemen  of  this  place  when  they  come 
home.  I  have  written  to  Mr.  Geo.  Long  requesting  him  to 
contrive  the  matter.  I  now  scarcely  recollect  what  books  of 
mine  are  at  Chapel  Hill — Anson's  Voyage,  Tooke's  Pan- 
theon,3 and  my  large  Atlas,  or  book  of  Maps  are  among  the 
number.  Mr.  Bingham4  of  Chatham  borrowed  my  Atlas 
perhaps  he  has  returned  it  before  this  time.  If  not,  and  Mr. 
Long5  will  be  kind  enough  to  undertake  to  convey  it,  I  hope 
you  will  send  to  Mr.  Bingham  for  it.  My  horse  is  on  the  spot 
and  you  could  hire  a  boy  for  a  dollar.  It  would  be  but  the 
journey  of  a  day.  But  whoever  goes  for  it  ought  to  be  di- 
rected to  secure  it  well  against  wearing  and  tearing;  a  wet- 
ting would  ruin  the  book  entirely — therefore  that  also  should 
be  guarded  against. 

Mr.  Richards0  owes  me  a  balance  of  $26.00,  I  requested 
him  to  pay  the  same  to  you.  I  beg,  therefore,  that  you  would 
be  so  kind  as  to  receive  it  and  pay  it  immediately  to  Mr. 
Holmes7 — to  whom  I  am  indebted,  but  if  Mr.  Richards 
should  not  pay  it  or  any  circumstance  turn  up  contrary  to 
my  expectations  so  that  the  money  cannot  be  paid  to  Mr. 
Holmes,  I  hope  you  will  mention  it  to  him  as  I  have  inform- 
ed him  that  you  would  pay  the  money.  Pleasant  Halls  is  to 
ride  my  horse  to  Halifax.  You  will  give  any  asssistance  in 
your  power  in  fixing  him  up  for  his  journey.  Perhaps  the 
horse  may  require  new  shoes  or  some  repairing  about  his 
feet. 


54  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

Please  to  have  my  bed  clothes  and  other  articles  in  my 
trunk  well  aired  and  and  the  whole  secured  in  the  possession 
of  some  careful  person  before  you  leave  Chapel  Hill.  Write 
to  me  by  the  young  Gentlemen  who  return  to  Halifax.  Give 
my  respects  to  Mr.  Springs,9  Frank  Burton,10  Houston,11 
and  Mr.  Osborne,12  Dixon,13  and  others.     I  am,  dear  brother, 

Yours  affectionately, 
Mr.  Eobert  Harris.  Charles  W.  Harris. 

University. 

I  Ragton,  the  Harris  home  on  Rocky  River,  was  seven  miles  distant  to  the 
west  of  the  present  town  of  Concord,  county-seat  of  Cabarrus.  It  was 
originally  in  Anson  county ;  then  in  Mecklenburg,  cut  off  from  Anson  in 
1762.     After  1792  it  was  in  Cabarrus,  cut  off  in  that  year  from  Mecklenburg. 

-  "The  back  country"  was  a  common  phrase  in  the  South  throughout 
colonial  times  and  up  to  about  1820,  being  used  alike  in  Virginia,  the  Caro- 
linas,  and  Georgia,  to  donate  the  less  populous  interior  or  Piedmont  regions 
in  contra-distinction  to  the  seaboard  area. 

3  "The  Pantheon,"  representing  the  "Fabulous  Histories  of  the  Heathen 
Gods,  and  Most  Illustrious  Heroes,  in  a  Plain  and  Familiar  Method,  by  way 
of  Dialogue,"  by  Andrew  Tooke,  M.  A.  Tooke  was  born  in  London  in  1673 
and  died  in  1731.  His  book  was  an  exceedingly  popular  work  among  eigh- 
teenth century  scholars,  the  twenty-ninth  edition  of  it  being  published  in 
London   in    1793. 

4  Evidently  William  Bingham  the  first  (reverend),  an  honor  graduate  of 
Glasgow  University,  Scotland.  He  immigrated  to  America  anout  1788  :  for  a 
short  time  he  preached  at  Wilmington,  Nortn  Carolina,  and  established  a  classi- 
cal school  there.  In  1795  he  removed  his  school  to  Pittsboro,  in  Chatham 
county.  From  1801  to  1805  he  was  professor  of  Ancient  Languages  in  the 
State  University,  resigning  in  the  latter  year  to  reopen  his  school  at  Pitts- 
boro. In  1808  he  removed  his  school  to  Hillslmro,  and  a  little  later  to  a 
plantation  he  had  purehpsed  near  the  present  site  of  Mebane.  The  present 
Bingham  School  at  Mebane  is  in  direct  descent  from  the  first  William 
Bingham's  log  school-house  near  that  place. 

5  George  Washington  Long,  of  Halifax,  entered  the  University  in  1795  and 
graduated  in  1799.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Concord  Society 
(later  the  Philanthropic  Literary)  in  1795  and  is  recorded  as  its  first  debater, 
the  query  being  :  "Which  is  b°st, — An  Education  or  a  Fortune,"  the  supporters 
of  education  winning  the  decision. 

"William   Augustus  Richards,   tutor  in   the  University.     See   above. 

7  Samuel  Holmes,  professor  of  languages  in  the  University  f'-om  1796 
to  1798.  Holmes  was  not  in  high  fivor  with  his  colleagues  at  the  University 
and  seems  to  have  been  a  disturbing  element  in  the  period  of  his  service 
there.     See  Battle's  History  of  the  University,  Vol.  T,  pp.  156,  et  sec/. 

8  William  Pleasart  Hall,  of  Halifax,  graduate  of  the  University  in  1803. 
and  member  of  the  House  of  Commons  for  the  town  of  Halifax  in  1808. 

9  Adam  A.  Springs,  of  Mecklenburg,  one  of  the  seven  who  made  up  the 
first  e-'-aduating  class  of  the  University    (1798). 

10  Francis  Nash  Williams  Burton,  of  Granville,  A.  B.  University  of  North 
Carolina,  1799. 

II  William  Houston,  of  Iredell,  A.  B.  University  of  North  Carolina,  179S. 
Physicipn. 

12  Either  Alexander  Osborne,  or  Edwin  -T.  Osborne,  brothers,  of  Rowan, 
A.  B.  graduates  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina  in   1798. 

"  The  editor  is  unable  to  discover  the  identity  of  this  person.  He  was 
not  a  member  of  any  of  the  classes  at  the  University  of  near  date. 


The  Harris  Letters  55 

Nov.  27th,  1797. 
Dear  Brother, 

I  am  Happy  to  understand  tHat  you  were  lucky  enough  to 
procure  a  Horse  for  your  journey  Home.  I  shall  he  with  you 
at  farthest,  within  ten  days  after  you  receive  this  letter.  I 
need  not  inform  you  that  the  disappointment  in  not  receiving 
my  horse  detained  me  longer  than  I  expected.  I  now  write 
to  inform  you  that  we  have  just  heard  that  the  Poll  Carey  has 
arrived  at  the  bar  and  is  probably  before  this  time  safely 
moored  at  Edenton.  She  made  a  very  lucky  voyage  and 
among  other  things  has  brought  in  dry  goods  to  the  amount 
of  13,000  pounds  sterling.  Mr.  Drew,1  from  what  he  has 
heard  of  your  character,  is  very  desirous  of  employing  you  in 
his  service,  and  has  lately  urged  me  to  use  my  interest  in  pro- 
curing your  consent,  and  the  consent  of  your  father  to  engage 
in  his  business.  He  wants  the  assistance  of  some  person 
immediately.  He  has  had  several  applications  but  has  agreed 
to  engage  with  no  one  until  he  heard  from  you.  I  have  al- 
ways told  you  to  consult  with  your  father  and  procure  his 
entire  approbation  was  the  first  step.  I  make  no  doubt  but 
you  have  disclosed  the  matter  to  him  and  heard  his  opinion. 
Give  me  leave  to  observe  that  I  conceive  it  highly  necessary 
that  every  young  man  should  learn  some  business  or  some 
trade  which  would  be  attached  to  his  person,  and  give  him  an 
intrinsical  worth,  independent  of  his  circumstances  as  to 
property  or  family.  But  such  an  acquisition  cannot  be  made 
without  some  inconvenience,  without  the  sacrifice  of  a  per- 
son's pleasures  for  a  time.  If  you  study  physic  you  must 
serve  an  apprenticeship  in  beating  at  the  mortar  and  rolling 
pills.  If  law,  you  must  copy  lengthy  Bills,  answers,  etc. 
You  must  set  Richard  Roe  and  John  Doe  (poor  innocent 
names)  to  eject,  assault,  batter  and  misuse  each  other  and 
then  bring  them  to  justice  against  their  wills.  If  merchan- 
dise, you  must  sweep  up  the  storehouse,  weigh  sugar,  meas- 
ure salt,  write  a  great  deal  and  stand  constantly  behind  the 
counter  for  a  long  time  before  you  will  be  able  to  earn  your 
bread.    I  mention  not  these  difficulties  to  discourage.    I  hope 


56  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

you  have  more  firmness  than  to  turn  your  back  on  trifling 
obstacles.  Now,  if  your  father  consents,  you  ought,  without 
delay,  to  procure  some  decent  clothing,  at  least  one  suit,  if  you 
succeed,  as  I  hope  you  would.  It  would  be  the  last  expense 
to  your  father.  If  you  come  at  all,  you  should  immediately. 
Determine  soon ;  remember  that  what  I  have  to  communicate 
to  you  shall  be  supprest  until  I  see  you  in  Cabarrus. 
My  best  wishes, 
my  dear  brother 

shall  always  attend  you. 

Charles  W.  Harris. 
Mr.  Robert  Harris, 
Cabarrus. 

Give  my  affection  to  my  father  and  show  him  my  letters 
to  you  on  this  subject.     My  love  to  my  step-mother.2 
Nov.  27th,  1797. 

(Gen.  Smith3  will  much  oblige  his  humble  servant  Chas.  Har- 
ris by  giving  this  letter  the  first  opportunity  of  a  conveyance). 

1  Merchant  of  Halifax  and  Edenton,  with  whom  Harris  was  endeavoring  to 
place  his  brother  Robert  for  an  apprenticeship  in  business.     See  above. 

2  Robert  Harris,  the  elder,  married  as  his  second  wife  the  widow  of 
General  William  Davidson,  killed  Feb.  1st,  1781,  at  the  battle  of  Cowan's 
Ford  in  his  efforts,  with  the  badly  organized  state  militia,  to  hamper  Corn- 
wallis'   crossing  the  Catawba  River. 

3  Benjamin  Smith,  soldier,  statesman,  and  philanthropist.  One  of  the  first 
trustees  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina.  Donor  in  1700  of  20,000  acres 
of  Tennessee  land  to  the  institution  about  to  be  founded.  He  was  for  fifteen 
years  a  member  of  the  state  Legislature  (senate)  from  Brunswick  county. 
He  was  governor  in  1810.  Smith  Hall,  at  the  University,  now  used  as  the 
Law  Building,  was  named  in  his  honor.  He  died  at  Smithville,  Columbus 
county,  February  10th,  1S29. 


Halifax,  Nov.  7,  1798. 
My  dear  Brother, 

If  you  are  engaged  in  merchandise,  you  must  certainly 
have  a  South-Sea-scheme  in  view, — if  in  Chemistry,  you  are 
pursuing  the  discovery  of  the  Philosopher's  stone,  if  in  As- 
tronomy, you  are  searching  for  Mercury's  Moons,  and  if  in 
Mechanics,  then  you  must  be  beating  your  brain  for  the 
perpetual  motion.  If  not  engaged  in  the  one  or  the  other 
of  the  above  mentioned  pursuits,  how  comes  it  to  pass,  that 


The  Harris  Letters  57 

the  weekly  post  bears  on  its  wings  not  a  single  line  from  the 
airy  hills  of  old  Ragton,  where  you  breathe  such  healthy 
lively  air  ?  Methinks  your  imagination  would  constantly 
teem  with  images  and  your  brain  be  crowded  with  ideas. 
And  if  so,  why  not  impart  them  to  me  ?  I  only  console  my- 
self in  this  way  that  in  all  events  you  will  not  permit  your- 
self to  be  unemployed,  and  that  when  not  engaged  in  writing 
to  me  that  you  are  more  usefully  engaged  in  business  of  im- 
portance. 

I  observe  in  a  passage  in  Cousin  William's1  last  letter 
that  you  and  he  intend  to  give  me  a  visit  in  January.  I  shall 
be  happy  at  all  times  and  places  to  see  you.  A  complete  suit 
of  broadcloth  at  that  season  will  be  both  fashionable  and 
comfortable.  If  Oscar2  has  not  been  sent  by  Mr.  Allison3  to 
the  Assembly,  you  probably  design  to  bring  him  in  January. 
In  that  case  I  would  only  observe  that  you  must  bring  an- 
other to  ride  back  and  not  depend  upon  my  little  bay  as  I 
have  already  sold  him  to  be  delivered  when  I  receive  Oscar. 

I  am  very  desirous  to  know  how  your  intended  storehouse 
progresses,  and  what  plans  you  have  lately  formed  for  the 
purpose  of  replenishing  it, — if  you  be  at  any  loss  about  that 
matter  only  apply  to  Mr.  Industry,  he  has  been  the  great 
replenisher  and  furnisher  of  all  shops  in  the  world,  and 
without  doubt  will  give  his  assistance  to  you.  It  appears  to 
me  that  tho  flour  is  very  low  at  this  time,  it  must  before  long 
rise  very  considerably.  The  exportation  of  provision  has  of 
late  been  so  difficult  and  our  trade  to  the  West  Indies  so 
much  harassed4  that  nothing  less  could  be  expected  but  a 
cheapness  of  our  provisional  articles.  A  change  in  these  par- 
ticulars must  soon  take  place. 

If  your  cousin,  Miss  Reese,5  still  continues  with  her 
relations  on  Rocky  River,  pray  present  her  my  compliments 
in  the  most  respectful  terms.  Let  me  hear  how  my  sister6 
and  her  numerous  family  enjoy  their  health.  As  to  her 
happiness  she  and  I  never  could  agree  respecting  its  con- 
stituent parts.  I  only  desire  she  may  always  find  herself  as 
happy  as  I  ever  wish  her.     I  asked  numerous  questions  in 


58  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

my  last  letter, — the  answers  of  some  of  them  were  import- 
ant,— I  might  almost  have  consulted  the  Oracle  of  Delphi 
in  the  same  time. 

Yours  Kespectfully, 

Charles  Wilson  Harris. 
Mr.  Kobt.  Harris, 
Cabarrus. 

(via) 
Charlotte 


1  Probably  William  Lee  Davidson,  step-brother  to  Charles  and  Robert 
Harris.  His  mother,  the  widow  of  General  William  Davidson,  who  was  killed 
at  Cowan's  Ford  in  1780,  married  the  elder  Robert  Harris.  His  mother  was 
Mary  Brevard  before  her  first  marriage.  William  Lee  Davidson  was  a  state 
senator  from  Mecklenburg  for  a  number  of  years  after  1813  ;  was  a  patron  of 
education,  and  particularly  of  Davidson  College,  which  bears  his  name. 

2  Name  of  a  horse. 

3  John  Allison,  member  of  the  Commons  from  Cabarrus  in  1798,  1800,  and 
from  1802  to  1£05. 

4  Both  French  and  English  interference  with  neutral  trade,  as  an  incident 
of  the  great  European  struggle,  was  a  most  distressing  feature  of  our  political 
and  economic  life  in  the  closing  decade  of  the  18th  and  the  opening  decade  of 
the  19th  century.  In  the  war  of  1812  we  finally  turned  upon  England,  one 
of  our  tormentors,  though  we  had  suffered  scarcely  less  from  France. 

5  Probably  the  daughter  of  Jane  Harris  and  Reverend  Thomas  Reese,  and 
sister  of  Edwin  Reese. 

c  Jane  Harris  (the  younger),  wife  of  Nathaniel  Alexander.  This  only  sister 
of   Charles  and   Robert  Harris,   bore  her  husband  nine   children. 


Halifax,  Jan'y  6,  1799. 
Dear  Brother, 

Your  letter  of  Dec.  1st,  came  to  hand,  you  there  detail 
the  difficulties  which  have  prevented  you  from  becoming  a 
merchant.  I  wish  it  was  in  my  power  to  remove  them,  there 
is  no  situation  in  this  town  or  neighborhood  that  I  could 
recommend,  besides  it  would  be  highly  imprudent  for  one 
who  enjoys  such  a  constitution  as  you  do,  to  sport  with  it  in 
this  sickly  climate.  I  already  sensibly  feel  that  I  am  on  the 
misty  melancholy  and  diseased  banks  of  Roanoke!1  Not  on 
your  pure,  cheerful  and  healthy  hills.  Some  opportunity  no 
doubt  will  soon  occur  in  your  favor  and  afford  ample  employ- 
ment to  you  without  removing  from  home,  in  the  meantime 
the  Farm,  Mills,  etc.,  will  not  leave  you  entirely  without 
some  business. 


The  Harris  Letters  59 

If  possible  I  shall  remove  to  the  University  during  the 
sickly  months  of  next  season,  at  any  rate  I  will  be  there  in 
July,  at  the  commencement.  Perhaps  it  may  be  convenient 
for  you  to  meet  me  at  that  place,  if  so,  let  me  hear  from  you. 
Whether  you  have  had  an  opportunity  of  conveying  my 
horse  to  Chapel  Hill,  I  have  not  yet  heard. 

Present  my  respects  to  my  father  and  all  my  friends. 
Yours, 

Charles  W.  Harris. 
Mr.  Robert  Wilson  Harris, 

Cabarrus,  (via  Charlotte.) 


1  Harris  apparently  was  already  beginning  that  decline  in  his  health  that 
was  to  end  with  his  early  death  from  tuberculosis,  Jan.  15,  1S04.  Halifax, 
situated  on  the  Roanoke  River  in  the  campar3tively  low,  alluvial  plain  of  our 
coast  region,  undoubtedly  impressed  Harris,  an  up-countryman,  as  unhealth- 
ful,  as  witness  his  frequent  references  thereto. 


Halifax,  Feb.  78th,  '99. 
Brother:  Your  favour  of  the  4th  inst.,  I  have  the  pleas- 
ure of  acknowledging,  and  am  happy  to  hear  that  you  are 
agreeably  situated  in  Salisbury.1  You  need  not  be  informed 
after  the  trial  you  have  already  made,  that  the  business  of 
the  county  requires  the  greatest  attention  and  constant  con- 
finement. Your  perseverance  will  certainly  overcome  every 
difficulty  and  discouragement.  It  is  weakness  in  the  ex- 
treme or  great  want  of  judgment  to  attempt  an  undertaking 
and  afterwards  relinquish  it  half  finished.  It  is  certain  that 
little  villages  in  our  State  are  not  very  distinguished  as 
schools  of  industry  or  virtue  of  any  kind,  but  are  rather  re- 
markable for  idleness  in  the  youth  that  frequent  their  streets 
and  public  houses;  you  will,  I  hope,  be  little  influenced  by 
example  of  those  of  your  own  age. 

My  indisposition  which  began  in  last  October  has  very 
much  abated  within  a  few  weeks  past,  and  yielded  only  to 
a  regular  course  of  the  Eushonion,  or  Sangradian2  practice  of 
physic,  after  many  ineffectual  attempts  to  procure  health  by 
tonics,  &c.  In  January  I  began  to  let  blood  once  in  every 
two  days,  and  drink  salts  continually.     This  regimen,  though 


60  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

unlikely  to  produce  the  effect,  pursued  rigorously  for  ten  or 
twelve  days,  restored  me  in  some  measure  to  my  former  com- 
plexion and  strength. 

When  last  in  Salisbury  I  left  in  Evan  Alexander's  care,3 
among  other  books,  Martin's  Natural  Philosophy,  in  three 
vol.  octavos ;  they  are  books  which  were  once  possessed  by  an 
uncle4  of  ours,  who  died  at  Princeton,  and  were  given  to  me 
as  'remembrances.'  Please  to  call  upon  Mr.  Alexander  and 
take  them  into  your  care.  Should  I  not  call  upon  you  for 
them,  this  letter  will  be  a  proof  to  others  that  I  intended 
them  as  a  present  to  you. 

It  is  yet  uncertain  whether  I  will  travel  in  the  summer 
as  far  as  Salisbury;  there  is  but  little  doubt  of  my  being  at 
Chapel  Hill  in  July,  where  I  would  be  happy  to  meet  with 
you  if  it  would  not  interfere  with  your  business. 

Please  to  present  my  best  respects  to  Mr.  Torrence5  and 
his  lady.     I  am,  dear  sir, 

Most  respectfully, 

Your  brother, 

Charles  W.  Harris. 
Robert  W.  Harris. 


1  Early  in  1799  Robert  Wilson  Harris,  after  a  period  of  evident  hesitation 
in  the  matter  of  a  pursuit,  went  to  Salisbury  and  engaged  in  a  mercantile 
business.  Whether  he  was  in  an  independent  venture  or  in  the  capacity  of  an 
employee  there  the  author  is  unable  to  discover.  He  remained  in  Salisbury 
until   sometime  in   1?02. 

2  The  Rushonion  or  Sangradian  practice  of  physic  was  the  practice  of 
copious  blood-letting  as  a  cure  for  numerous  human  ills.  Dr.  Benjamin 
Rush,  of  Philadelphia,  a  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  was  its 
chief  exponent  of  use  in  America  during  the  latter  decade  of  the  18th  century. 
He  played  a  leading  part  in  the  fight  against  the  epidemic  of  yellow  fever 
which  visited  Philadelphia  in  1793,  breaking  down  his  own  health  by  treating 
a  hundred  to  a  hundred  and  fifty  patients  a  day.  His  method  of  ir^atment  v\  as 
to  give  doses  of  calomel  and  jalap,  bleed  freely,  and  drench  the  patient,  within 
and  without,  with  warm  water.  He  aroused  much  criticism  within  and 
without  the  profession.  Peter  Porcupine  (William  Cobbett)  in  his  gazette 
likened  Hush  to  Dr.  Sangrado,  a  blood-letting  quack  In  Le  Sage's  Gil  Bins. 
Rush  brought  suit  against  Cobbett  for  libel  and  secured  a  verdict  for  $5,000 
damages. 

3  Evan  Elexander,  of  Salisbury,  Rowan  county,  Trustee  of  the  University 
1799  to  1809,  and  representative  in  the  Commons  from  the  borough  of  Salis- 
bury from  1798  to  1803. 

4  Samuel  Harris,  full-brother  to  Dr.  Charles  Harris  of  "Favoni"  and  half- 
brother  to  Robert  Harris,  father  of  Charles  Wilson  Harris.  Samuel  Harris 
graduated  at  Princeton  in  1787  and  was  tutor  there  in  1788  and  in  1789 
until  his  death  in  that  year. 

6  Albert   Torrence.      This   gentleman   was    of   Irish    birth,    born    1752.      He 


The  Harris  Letters  61 

settled  in  Rowan  county  sometime  just  before  the  Revolution,  building  a  home 
on  the  heights  overlooking  the  Yadkin  River  to  the  northeast  of  Salisbury, 
and  facing  the  "Jersey  Settlement"  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  It 
was  from  this  height  that  Cornwallis  cannonaded  General  Nathaniel  Greene 
across  the  river  in  the  latter's  memorable  retreat  through  North  Carolina  in 
1781.  The  Torrence  home  was  a  center  of  culture  and  refinement  in  the  early 
days  of  the  republic.  Here  a  ball  was  tendered  President  Washington  while  on 
his  southern  tour  in  1701.  Mrs.  Torrence's  maiden  name  was  Hackett,  her 
sister,  Abigail  O'Neil  Hackett,  becoming  the  wife  of  Robert  Harris  (the 
younger)  in  1801.  Albert  Torrence  reared  four  sons,  Hugh,  Albert,  James 
and  Charles,  and  one  daughter  who  married  Wm.  E.  Powe,  of  Cheiaw,  S.  C. 
The  elder  Torrence  died  in  1825  at  the  age  of  seventy-two.  The  Torrence 
home  about  this  date  came  to  be  known  as  "The  Heights  of  Gowerie." 


Halifax,  June  4,  1799. 
Dear  Brother: 

My  health  has  much  improved  since  I  did  myself  the 
pleasure  of  writing  to  you.  Soon  after  my  letter  I  submitted 
to  another  course  of  bleeding  which  had  its  effect.  Still  a 
little  of  the  bile  floats  in  my  system  but  it  leaves  me  strength 
and  spirit  enough  to  pursue  my  business. 

I  flatter  myself  that  you  continue  to  be  much  pleased 
with  you  shop  engagements, — a  forced  employment  can 
never  thrive.  On  the  first  of  July  I  visit  the  University.1 
Nothing  could  reconcile  me  to  the  disappointment  which  I 
would  feel  at  not  meeting  with  you  there,  but  hearing  that 
you  were  much  better  employed.  At  present  I  continue  but 
one  day  at  home. 

Excuse  the  shortness  of  this,  I  am, 

With  respect  and  affection, 
Your  brother, 
Robert  W.  Harris,  Charles  W.  Harris. 

Salisbury, 

N.  Carolina. 


1  The  degree  of  Master  of  Arts,  then  an  honorary  degree,  was  conferred  on 
Harris  by  the  University  at  Commencement,  July  5,  1700,  his  journey  referred 
to  above  being  made  to  Chapel  Hill  for  the  purpose  of  its  reception. 


Halifax,  Nov.  18th,  1799. 
My  dear  Brother: 

Your  letter  due  the  first  inst.  has  not  yet  arrived.     I  pre- 
sume it  has  not  been  owing  to  any  want  of  regularity  in  you, 


62  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

but  to  the  want  of  punctuality  in  the  post  riders.  Pray  how 
is  your  health  ?  Is  your  father  returned  ?  What  news  from 
your  sister  and  family?  It  is  thro'  you  alone  that  I  con- 
verse with  all  my  friends  in  the  back-country.  They  are 
silent,  they  forget  me  in  a  moment.  Were  I  in  a  less  con- 
templative, or  reflecting  mood,  than  I  feel  myself  at  present, 
there  would  be  sufficient  reason  to  induce  me  to  consider  of 
how  little  consequence  the  life  of  an  individual  is  to  his 
country,  friends,  or  even  relatives,  who  is  a  young  man, 
without  a  character,  just  entering  upon  business,  and  single 
or  a  bachelor  ?  If  he  goes,  he  is  no  more  missed  than  a  grain 
of  sand  from  the  seashore.  Such  I  feel  is  my  situation  at 
present.  Let  me  look  forward,  suppose  success  attends  me 
in  my  profession,  my  demise  would  be  a  matter  of  joy  not 
grief  to  a  needy  tribe  of  brother  attorneys.  Suppose  I  had 
an  established  character,  and  filled  situations  of  eminence, 
envy  would  clap  her  wings  with  rapture  to  hear  I  was  no 
more,  and  many  a  sprightly  sparkling  eye  would  be  fixed 
upon  the  vacancy  I  had  filled.  If  married,  rich,  of  a  com- 
fortable age,  and  blessed  (as  the  world  is  pleased  to  term 
it)  with  children,  my  condition  would  not  be  improved.  My 
own  family  would  smile  in  their  hearts,  when  sable  black 
covered  their  outsides,  for  now  they  become  masters  of 
themselves  and  property, — these  are  not  wild  speculations. 
They  are  the  result  of  observations  on  real  life.  I  always 
thought  there  was  more  ingenuity,  than  reality  in  Cicero's 
famous  treatise  on  the  pleasures  of  old  age.  One  of  the 
greatest  pleasures  I  now  enjoy  is  the  perusal  of  a  letter  from 
you  and  the  monthly  expectation  of  another.  Pray  do  not 
disappoint  me. 

You  will  conceive  me  Hypo.1  from  the  above,  but  I  still 
act  the  the  farce  of  life  with  as  comic  a  face  as  any  of  my 
neighbors,  and  as  the  situation  of  my  health  will  permit, 
which  is  very  far  from  being  firm. 

I  go  to  court  this  moment  to  engage  in  the  disputes  of 
others,  and  scuffle  for  a  /40.  Perhaps  you  may  think  my  mind 


The  Haeris  Letters  63 

better  prepared  for  (Melancholy)  dissertation  than  for  foren- 
sic jangling. 

I  recommend  you  to  the  favors  of  fortune 
with  all  the  affection  of  a  brother. 

Charles  W.  Harris. 
Mr.  Robert  W.  Harris, 
Salisbury. 


1  Hypochondriacal.  This  spirit  of  morbidity  disclosed  by  the  above  letter 
seems  to  have  mastered  the  writer  from  time  to  time  and  is  doubtless  ex- 
plained by  his  declining  health.  The  ever  lengthening  shadow  of  the  dread 
disease,  consumption,  now  in  a  few  years  was  to  end  his  life. 


Halifax,  Jan.  20th,  1800. 
Dr.  Brother, 

The  Bearer  of  this  is  Mr.  Joseph  Davie,1  brother  of  Gen. 
Davie,  I  recommend  him  to  your  attention,  should  he  call 
upon  you.  His  stay  here  is  short,  and  I  have  only  time  to 
express  my  good  wishes  for  your  welfare.  Your  double  let- 
ter of  the  14th  Inst,  arrived  this  morning  with  affidavits. 
A  few  days  ago  was  seized  at  Edenton  the  schooner  Sam. 
Tredwell,  John  Drew,  owner,  and  libelled  by  the  collector 
for  trading  to  the  French  West  Indies,  contrary  to  a  late  act 
of  Congress,  prohibiting  the  intercourse,2  &c.  The  Captain 
says  he  was  carried  in  by  force  by  a  French  privateer,  and 
only  released  on  conditions  that  he  would  dispose  of  his 
cargo  there  and  load  with  the  produce  of  the  Island.  How- 
ever there  is  great  reason  to  believe  that  there  was  some  secret 
intelligence  and  perfect  understanding  between  the  captors 
&  captured,  and  that  the  latter  consented  to  be  taken  in  to 
port  by  force.  It  may  upon  investigation  turn  out  to  be  one 
of  that  species  of  smuggling  complained  of  by  our  naval  offi- 
cers, some  months  past.  I  believe  she  is  the  first  vessel  that 
has  been  seized  under  the  same  circumstances.  Enclosed  I 
send  two  notes,  one  on  Wm.  Snow,  the  other  on  Mr.  Winter, 
both  of  Rowan  county.  They  are  for  sums  under  the  juris- 
diction of  the  court  and  must  therefore  be  tried  by  Justices 
of  the  peace.     The  money  is  due  to  Gen.  Davie.     I  must 


64  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

request  that  you  would  oblige  me  by  placing  them  in  the 
hands  of  such  constables  as  may  collect  the  money  if  they  will 
not  pay  on  demand.  If  you  give  them  to  any  constable  or 
other  person,  take  a  receipt  for  them,  get  the  money  as  soon 
as  possible. 

Inclosed  is  the  rough  scribble  of  a  piece  intended  for 
Hodge's  paper.3  I  altered  my  mind.  If  you  think  proper 
request  Mr.  Coupee4  to  print  it  and  send  me  the  paper  con- 
taining it  by  post.  It  is  intended  to  expose  the  fatal  con- 
sequence of  the  much  delayed  prosecutions  against  a  set  of 
the  most  consummate  villains.  The  attorney  general  is  not 
perfectly  excusable.  Be  secret  in  this  paragraph. 
I  am,  my  dear  brother, 

Most  affectionately, 

Charles  W.  Harris. 
Mr.  Eobert  W.  Harris, 
Salisbury. 

Pray  present  my  respects  to  Mr.  Torrence  and  family. 


1  Joseph  Davie  must  have  been  on  a  visit  from  England  to  his  brother 
Wm.  R.  Davie.  General  Davie  had  no  relatives  resident  in  America  besides 
an  uncle,  William  Richardson,  of  South  Carolina,  by  whom  he  was  reared 
and  for  whom  he  was  named. 

2  After  the  "X.  Y.  Z."  incident  with  France  in  1798  the  Federal  Adminis- 
tration, John  Adams  president,  regarded  war  with  that  country  as  inevitable 
and  began  to  prepare  therefor.  Congress  swiftly  rushed  tnrough  several  acts 
looking  to  that  end.  One  of  these  created  a  navy  department:  another  in- 
creased our  very  weak  navy  by  a  number  of  frigates  to  be  immediately  built; 
another  forbade  trade  with  the  French  West  Indies  ;  and  still  another  ordered 
our  navy  to  protect  the  residue  of  our  trade  to  the  West  Indies  and  attack 
and  capture  French  ships  interferring  therewith.  Under  this  last  policy  a 
number  of  sea-fights  occurred  with  French  vessels,  which  added  prestige  to 
our  infant  navy.  About  84  French  vessels,  mainly  privateers,  were  taken 
by  us  before  France  was  brought  in  1800  to  make  a  new  treaty  with 
the  United  States.  Thereupon  our  naval-commercial  war  with  France  ceased 
until  Napoleon  laid  new  restrictions  upon  our  trade  during  Jefferson's  s°cond 
term.  At  the  date  of  this  letter,  Wm.  R.  Davie,  whose  practice  at  law  Harris 
had  now  assumed,  was  in  Paris  with  Elsworth  and  Vans  Murray  arranging 
the  treaty   that  was  soon   to  settle   our  differences  with   France  temporarily. 

3  Abraham  Hodge,  a  veteran  printer  and  pioneer  newspaper  man  in  North 
Carolina,  was  born  in  the  colony  of  New  Nork,  1755,  and  died  at  Halifax, 
in  the  state  of  North  Carolina.  Aug.  3,  1805.  Aided  by  the  grant  of  the 
public  printing  he  set  up  a  press  at  New  Bern  in  1786  and  published  there 
"The  State  Gazette  of  North  Carolina."  In  1780  the  business  was  removed  to 
Edenton,  the  publishers  now  being  Hodge  and  Wills.  In  1793  Hodge  began  to 
publish  in  Halifax  "The  North  Carolina  State  Journal."  Continuing  the 
Halifax  paper,  Hodge  and  his  nephew,  William  Boylan.  began  in  1796  to  pub- 
lish in  Fayetteville  the  "North  Carolina  Minerva  and  Fayetteville  Advertiser." 
In    1799    they    removed    this   paper    to   Raleigh   where    it   continued   as    "The 


The  Harris  Letters  65 


North  Carolina  Minerva  and  Raleigh  Advertiser."  The  legislative  session  of 
1800  (Nov.  17-Dec.  20)  deprived  Hodge  of  the  public  printing,  transferring  it 
to  Joseph  Gales  who  had  in  the  previous  year  set  up  The  Raleigh  Register 
as  the  organ  of  the  Republican  party  which  was  now  assuming  definite  control 
in  the  state.  Ilodgo  and  his  nephew,  Boylan,  were  staunch  Federalists.  They 
and  their  friends  accepted  the  loss  of  the  public  printing  with  ill  grace. 
(See  other  letters  below).  The  "piece"  referred  to  by  Harris  was  evidently 
first  intended  for  publication  in   Hodge's  paper  at  Raleigh. 

4  Francis  Coupee.  He  established  a  print  shop  at  Salisbury  in  1798  and 
in  connection  therewith  published  "The  North  Carolina  Mercury  and  Salis- 
bury Advertiser." 

B  Blake  Baker,  of  Warren  county,  was  Attorney-General  of  North  Carolina 
from  1795  to  1S02.     For  further  references  to  him  see  letters  below. 


Halifax,  March  15th,  1800. 
My  dear  Brother, 

Your  favor  written  on  your  birthday  I  have  the  pleasure 
of  acknowledging.  The  subject  is  important  to  you  and  can- 
not fail  to  be  interesting  to  me.  Such  considerations  and 
speculations  as  you  have  entered  into  are  well  suited  to  a 
Birth-day,  and  very  different  from  the  thoughtless,  giddy 
mode  now  in  use  at  this  place,  of  spending  such  seasons. 
When  you  seriously  ask  my  advice  in  a  matter  of  such  mo- 
ment as  the  plan  of  life  you  ought  to  adopt,  I  wish  that  I 
possessed  experience  and  wisdom,  that  I  might  answer  you 
to  some  purpose.  If  I  have  discovered  any  truth  from  the 
few  years  that  I  have  lived,  and  from  the  little  observation 
1  have  made,  it  is,  that  happiness  and  success  in  life  are  not 
inseparably  connected  with  any  particular  employment  or 
pursuit.  The  Farmer,  the  Merchant,  the  Physician,  the  Me- 
chanic with  steadiness,  attention  and  prudence  enjoy  each 
his  share  of  this  world's  goods.  The  Farmer  stands  upon 
more  stable  foundation,  the  Merchant  plays  a  game  at  which 
he  must  at  times  risk  his  all.  In  either  line  of  life  I  flatter 
myself  you  would  in  some  measure  succeed.  Rivalship  of 
which  you  speak  is  nothing.  It  is  to  be  expected,  not  feared 
in  every  situation  &  should  only  serve  to  heighten  our  exer- 
tions and  strengthen  our  resolution.  When  you  form  your 
plans  and  have  resolved,  let  nothing,  nothing  discourage  you. 
As  a  farmer  I  doubt  not  but  you  would  be  respected  in  your 
neighborhood  and  being  somewhat  acquainted  with  transact- 
ing business  you  might  successfully  at  times  mix  with  it  a 


66  James  Speunt  Historical  Publications 

little  traffic  &  speculation.  The  greatest  fortunes  are  made  in 
this  country  by  farming  and  planting. 

You  have  heard  of  Truxton's1  desperate  engagement 
with  a  supposed  54  French  frigate.  We  are  at  present  all  in 
doubt  and  uncertainty  respecting  that  business ;  from  a  sug- 
gestion that  she  was  engaged  with  the  United  States  frigate, 
the  Constitution,  Capt.  Talbot,2  of  44  Guns,  it  is  said  the 
latter  has  been  spoken  off  the  capes  of  Virginia,  much  dam- 
aged by  a  fight  with  a  French  frigate  which  she  would  have 
taken  but  a  sail  from  Guadeloupe  hove  in  sight, — these  sup- 
posed fights  happening  nearly  about  the  same  time  and  place 
appear  a  little  suspicious, — we  hope  the  report  is  unfounded, 
and  that  a  mistake  so  unfortunate  and  disgraceful  to  our 
Navy  has  not  been  made.3  It  may  be  a  blast  to  keep  alive 
the  old  misunderstanding4  between  the  Captains  of  those  two 
Frigates.  Allen  J.  Green,5  once  a  fellow-student  at  the  Uni- 
versity, has  been  appointed  a  midshipman,  and  has  taken  his 
place  on  board  of  the  Chesapeake,6  a  vessel  built  in  Norfolk 
and  now  nearly  ready  for  sea. 

You  speak  of  my  indisposition  and  the  propriety  of  my 
removing  from  Halifax.  It  is  possible  I  might  recover  my 
health  by  a  removal  and  find  business  in  my  profession 
in  other  parts  of  the  state,  but  I  have  not  relinquished  all 
hopes  of  a  perfect  recovery  even  here.  I  am  now  engaged  in 
a  practice  about  to  become  valuable,  I  have  in  a  great  meas- 
ure overcome  the  embarrassments  of  a  young  practitioner, 
am  employed  in  cases  of  great  moment  to  my  friends,  their 
confidence  in  me  has  been  personal.  It  would  be  a  poor  re- 
turn for  me  to  make  them  for  their  attention,  either  to  with- 
draw myself  from  their  suits  or  to  place  them  in  the  hands  of 
another  Attorney,  nor  is  it  probable  that  my  situation  in 
these  respects  will  alter.  New  actions  are  commencing  by 
my  advice.  When  one  business  dies,  three  or  four  others  are 
born.  On  these  accounts  I  can  only  leave  my  post  under  cir- 
cumstances that  would  form  in  themselves  a  sufficient  apology 
for  me;  my  want  of  punctuality  in  writing  you  for  some 
time  past  was  owing  to  absence  on  my  circuit.     Let  me  hear 


The  Harris  Letters  67 

from  you  regularly  and  of  your  health.     I  am,  my  dear 
Brother,  yours, 

Charles  W.  Harris. 
Mr.  Robert  W.  Harris, 
Salisbury,  N.  C. 


1  Captain  Thomas  Truxton  commanded  the  United  States  frigate  "Constel- 
lation" in  the  attempt  of  our  government,  1799-1800,  to  repel  the  effort  of 
France  and  England  to  prey  upon  our  commerce  under  the  claim  of  enforcing 
their  contraband  laws.  It  was  the  1st  of  February,  1800,  that  the  drawn  fight 
between  the  "Constellation"  and  the  French  ship  "La  Vengeance"  had  oc- 
curred near  Guadaloupe  in  the  West  Indies.  The  "La  Vengeance"  was  out- 
pointed in  the  action,  despite  her  superiority  in  men  and  guns.  Though  she 
escaped  and  later  crept  into  the  Dutch  port  of  Curacoa,  she  was  found  to  be 
all  but  disabled,  with  fifty  of  her  men  killed  and  one  hundred  and  ten 
wounded.  The  American  ship  substained  a  loss  of  only  39  killed  and 
wounded.  In  February  the  previous  year  Truxton,  commanding  the  "Con- 
stitution," had  captured  the  French  ship  "LTnsurgente."  These  two  suc- 
cesses had  raised  the  credit  of  this  commander  to  a  great  height  in  American 
public  opinion.     Congress  presented  him  with  a  gold   metal  March   25,   1800. 

2  Captain  Silas  Talbot,  a  veteran  seaman  of  the  Revolution,  and  now  in 
command  of  the  "Constitution."  His  notable  success  in  the  naval  war  with 
France  was  his  ruse  in  Port  Platte,  San  Domingo,  by  which  he  captured  the 
French  privateer,  "Sandwich." 

3  This  rumor  proved  to  be  unfounded. 

4  The  editor  has  been  unable  to  discover  the  cause  of  the  differences  be- 
tween Truxton  and  Talbot,  though  it  must  have  been  a  subject  of  wide  dis- 
cussion at  the  time. 

5  Allen  J.  Green,  of  South  Carolina,  a  matriculate  of  the  University  of 
North  Carolina  in  1795.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  "The  Debating 
Society,"  which,  within  the  same  year  split  into  two  branches,  the  seceding 
members  setting  up  the  "Concord  Society."  This  latter  society  renamed  it- 
self the  following  year  (Aug.  29,  1796)  the  Philanthropic  Society,  and  has 
so  remained.  Green  remained  with  the  parent  society,  which  soon  took 
the  name  "Dialectic."  Green  remained  only  one  year  at  the  University.  He 
received  the  appointment  of  midshipman  Jan.  6,  1800,  and  recigned  Jan. 
17,  1803. 

0  This  was  the  unfortunate  vessel  that,  under  Commodore  Barron  In  1807, 
submitted  to  a  search  for  deserting  British  seamen  at  the  hands  of  the 
British  ship  "Leopard"  and  for  which  Barron  was  court-martialed  and  dis- 
missed from  the  service.  The  same  ship,  in  1813,  under  command  of  Captain 
James  Lawrence,  was  defeated  off  Boston  harbor  by  the  British  ship  "Shan- 
non" and  taken  into  Halifax  harbor.  Nova  Scotia. 


Halifax,  April  6th,  1800. 
My  dear  Brother, 

Your  letter  by  Mr.  Hodge  I  received  yesterday.  It  is 
true  I  have  not  had  it  in  my  power  for  some  time  past  to  write 
agreeably  to  our  engagement,  owing  principally  to  my  ab- 
sence from  this  place.  Miss  Narcissa's1  elopement  I  was 
sorry  to  hear  of,  and  is  the  more  distressing  to  the  parents 
on  account  of  the  death  of  their  favorite  child.     That  family 


68  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

about  the  time  of  my  birth  and  before,  enjoyed  prospects 

equal  to  any  other  in  the  place.     Their  sons  are .2 

Their  daughters  no  longer  bear  the  name  of  the  family.  This 
is  not  mere  accident  but  owing  to  some  causes  which  are 
worthy  of  being  enquired  after  and  avoided.  Of  all  the 
misfortunes  that  can  happen  a  man,  that  is  the  greatest  which 
arises  from  a  father's  disappointment  in  the  prospects  of  his 

children .    You  are  to  be  a  farmer,  I  presume.3  Once  I 

advised  you  to  steer  a  distance  from  Love  &  matrimony. 
Your  plans  were  then  different  from  what  they  are  at  pres- 
ent.   If  you  settle  at  Ragton,  I  will  hope  to  hear,  soon  after, 

that  you  have  joined  yourself  to  an  amiable who  is  as 

much  the  choice  of  your  friends  as  of  yourself  (in  serio). 

You  say  nothing  in  your  letters  of  your  health,  from  this 
I  am  led  to  conclude  that  you  have  recovered  from  your 
emaciation  and  now  weigh  full  150  lbs.  I  have  not  been  so 
particular  as  to  balance  myself  for  several  months,  but  im- 
agine I  am  nearly  as  when  I  last  saw  you.  In  subscribing 
for  Peter  Porcupine,  Rush  Light,4"  I  have  also  directed  him 
to  send  you  one.  Each  number  will  cost  you  the  postage  only, 
to  wit,  six  cents.  After  reading  them  you  can  oblige  Dr. 
Harris5  &c  with  a  perusal.  They  may  not  be  masterpieces 
but  will  serve  to  wash  out  the  littlenesses  of  some  great  char- 
acters. His  facts  are  generally  true,  I  may  say,  always,  but 
he  often  paints  in  high  colours.  His  abuse,  though  great, 
stands  upon  a  true  foundation.  I  am  happy  to  hear  of  the 
true  federalism  of  your  county.6  Mr.  Hodge7  brings  back 
a  goodly  report.  I  wish  how  long  the  back  country  may  con- 
tinue Industrious,  Virtuous  &  Patriotic.  Here8  party  influ- 
ence or  omnipotent  brandy  (both  blind  leaders)  dictate  ev- 
erything. 

I  have  in  conjunction  with  a  Mr.  Brown,  a  fellow  lawyer, 
purchased  four  or  five  lots  in  Halifax,  in  the  upper  part  of  it, 
and  on  an  airy  elevation  and  am  now  fixing  up  an  office  into 
which  I  shall  remove  before  June.  I  hope  for  many  advan- 
tages from  this  alteration.  I  now  live  so  low  in  town  that 
the  sickly  current  of  Roanoke  continually  rolls  under  my 


The  Harris  Letters  69 

very  nose.  I  live  often  in  fogs, — while  mosquitoes  and 
frogs  sing  and  croak  me  to  rest.  Not  a  word  from  Gen. 
Davie.9  His  lady10  is  very  uneasy,  and  fretted  herself  into 
a  real  indisposition. 

My  respects  to  Mr.   Torrence's  family.     Accept  of  my 
thanks  for  Mr.  McEea's  eulogium. 

I  am,  dear  brother, 

most  affectionately  yours, 

Charles  W.  Harris. 

Mr.  Hodge  expects  and  begs  that  you  send  him  a  receipt  from 
the  clerk  of  Mecklenburg  county  for  the  Laws  &  Journals, 
as  soon  as  you  can  receive  the  same. 

Halifax,  K  C. 
April  7th. 

Mr.  Eobert  W.  Harris, 
Salisbury,  K  C. 

1  The  identity  of  "Miss  Narcissa"  and  her  family  the  editor  is  unable  to 
discover.  The  family  was  one  probably  resident  in  Salisbury  and  with  which 
the   Harris   brothers   both   were   acquainted. 

2  The  failure  of  the  writer  to  complete  the  sentence  relative  to  the  "sons" 
seems  from  the  context  to  indicate  "unworthiness"  on   their  part. 

3  Robert  Harris  had  evidently  informed  his  brother  of  a  contemplated 
change  in  his  occupation,  probably  indicating  his  purpose  to  return  to  their 
father's  home  to  engage  in  agriculture  and  trade.  The  editor  thinks  it  prob- 
able that  he  did  reside  with  his  father  between  the  early  winter  of  1800 
and  the  summer  of  1802.  At  the  latter  date  he  established  himself  as  mer- 
chant at  Sneedsboro,  in  Anson  county.     See  letters  below. 

4  Rushlight  (a  rush  candle,  or  its  light;  hence,  a  small  feeble  lights. 
William  Cobbett,  English  journalist,  was  bom  at  Fordham,  in  Surry,  England, 
1762.  Coming  to  America  by  way  of  France  in  1792,  he  set  up  a  print-shop 
In  1'hiladelphia,  then  the  seat  of  the  American  government,  and  under  the  pen 
name  of  Peter  Porcupine  lashed  French  republicanism  and  American  demo- 
cracy with  a  scorn  "as  coarse  and  personal  as  it  was  always  bitter."  Cobbett 
reached  his  public  mainly  through  pamphlets  until  1707,  when  he  established, 
March  4,  "Porcupine's  Gazette"  as  a  daily,  and  in  1798  a  tri-weekly  mail  edi- 
tion of  the  same  paper,  without  the  advertisements,  and  called  the  "Country 
Torcupine."  As  a  champion  of  Federalism  and  scourge  of  Republicanism 
Cobbett's  productions  were  universally  popular  among  the  Federalists.  In 
1799  his  paper  was  removed  from  Philadelphia  on  account  of  the  yellow  fever 
epidemic  and  continued  as  a  weekly  until  early  1800  at  Bustleton,  Pennsyl- 
vania. About  this  date  Dr.  Benjamin  Rush  secured  the  $5000  verdict  against 
him  for  libel  (see  an  earlier  note).  Seriously  crippled  financially,  Cobbntt 
now  launched  the  "Rushlight"  to  continue  his  attack  upon  Rush  and  other 
of  his  enemies,  being  careful  however,  to  keep  within  the  law.  The  "Rush- 
light" was  in  the  form  of  a  pamphlet  and  seven  numbers  in  all  were  issued. 
Nos.  1  to  6  were  published  February  15,  28,  March  15,  31,  April  30.  and 
August  30,  1800.  Vol.  2,  No.  1  (undated)  has  title:  "The  Republican  Rush- 
light by  William  Cobbett."  No.  6  was  published  in  London.  No  place  of 
publication  is  given  for  Vol.  2,  No.  1.  The  other  numbers  were  published  In 
New  York.  Cobbett  lpft  America  in  the  fall  of  1800.  In  January,  1802,  he 
began   to   publish   in   London   hid   "Weekly    Political   Register"    which   he   con- 


TO  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

tinued  without  intermission  until  his  death  in  1835.  This  new  publication 
was  at  first  stoutly  Tory  in  politics,  but  later  became  an  uncompromising 
champion  of  Radicalism. 

5  Dr.  Charles  Harris,  of  Cabarrus,  uncle  of  the  Harris  brothers. 

"This  was  "presidential  year,"  and  there  has  been  no  period  in  our 
national  history  that  presents  an  aspect  of  stronger  partizanship  in  politics. 
Federalists  and  Republicans  throughout  the  nation  confronted  each  other  in  a 
spirit  of  utter  distrust  and  rancor.  Jefferson,  the  "hope"  of  the  Republicans, 
achieved  the  presidency  over  John  Adams  and  the  latter  retired  from  office 
in  1801  with  utter  bad  grace  and  amid  the  gloomiest  forebodings  of  his  party- 
men  as  to  the  future  of  the  country  in  the  hands  of  the  radicals.  The  west- 
ern and  southwestern  counties  in  North  Carolina  remained  staunchly  Federal- 
ist during  these  stormy  years,  in  general  returning  Federalist  representatives 
to  Congess  from  1799  to  1803,  a  number  of  districts  continuing  to  do  so  as 
late  as  1813. 

7  Abraham  Hodge,  the  editor.     See  supra. 

8  Halifax  and  the  congressional  district  centering  therein  was  strongly 
Republican.  Willis  Alston,  a  "rabid  radical"  in  the  eyes  of  the  Federalists, 
represented  the  district  continuously  from  1799  to  1813. 

9  General  William  R.  Davie,  in  conjunction  with  Oliver  Ellsworth  and  Wil- 
liam Vans  Murray,  had  been  appointed  as  commissioner  to  Fiance  in  1799 
by  President  Adams  in  an  endeavor  to  heal  our  differences  with  that  country. 
Davie  had  resigned  the  governorship  of  the  state  to  accept  the  mission.  A 
treaty  was  signed  with  Napoleon  on  the  30th  of  September,  1100.  Davie 
returned  to  America  in  December,  reaching  his  home  in  Halifax  on  the  26th  of 
that  month. 

10  Mrs.  William  R.  Davie  was  Sarah  Jones,  sister  of  General  Allen  Jones 
and  Willie  Jones  of  Halifax.  The  latter  was  the  adroit  politicil  leader  of 
the  forces  in  the  state  which  had  successfully  opposed  the  ratification  of 
the  Federal  Constitution  by  the  state  in  1788,  deferring  the  action  of  the 
state  for  more  than  a  year.  After  North  Carolina  did  enter  the  Union 
Jones  withdrew  from  political  life. 


Second  Sunday  in  May  1800. 
My  dear  Brother,  Halifax. 

I  am  just  freed  from  the  fatigues  of  a  tedious  and  busy 
court.  Judge  Haywood1  presided, — it  was  his  object  to  dis- 
burthen  the  docket  of  a  number  of  old  disputed  cases,  which 
have  been  expecting  slow-footed  justice  for  more  than  ten 
years.  Our  jail  has  not  been  more  crowded  with  villains 
than  at  the  commencement  of  the  last  term.  Two  persons 
were  committed  for  horse  stealing,  three  for  stealing  negroes, 
two  for  the  murder  of  negroes,  one  for  perjury,  one  for  pass- 
ing counterfeit  money,  and  two  witnesses  for  the  State, — of 
suspicious  characters  who  could  not  give  security  for  their 
appearance  at  court.  Of  these,  three  were  sentenced  to 
death.  One  to  the  pillory,  others  fined  or  acquitted.  This 
is  a  melancholy  catalogue2  to  the  man  who  has  been  calculat- 
ing upon  the  progressive  improvement  of  our  country  in 
civilization  and  morality  and  is  enough  to  produce  dispair 


The  Harris  Letters  71 

when  added  to  the  Blacklists  that  are  kept  at  Raleigh.  I  am 
well  persuaded  that  it  is  in  your  part  of  the  State  if  any- 
where, that  we  can  discover  anything  like  general  morality. 
There  religion  is  not  considered  a  disgrace  and  its  teachers 
are3  still  reputable. 

Elections4  now  begin  to  be  the  general  subject  of  con- 
versations. Parties  in  this  district  become  more  and  more 
defined.  It  is  not  the  personal  good  qualities  of  a  candidate 
that  are  inquired  for ;  whether  he  is  a  Federalist  or  not,  is  all 
the  question.  T.  Blount5  will  poll  against  Alston0  for  Con- 
gress. Judge  Haywood  against  Gideon  Alston7  for  elector. 
This  last  is  the  most  important.  The  re-election  of  Adams 
to  the  Presidency  is  very  doubtful.  Should  Jefferson  be  suc- 
cessful we  may  expect  that  those  complaints  and  discontents 
which  prevailed  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  on  the  election 
of  McKean8  to  the  government  will  extend  over  all  the  Union. 
We  must  expect  that  those  who  now  hold  posts  of  Honor, 
trust,  or  profit,  under  the  United  States,  however  worthy  for 
abilities  or  integrity  will  be  displaced  purely  because  they 
are  federal  and  their  places  filled  with  such  as  accord  with 
the  Chief  Magistrate  in  their  political  principles.9 

Judge  McCay10  is  said  to  be  the  candidate  for  elector  in 
the  Salisbury  division.  Pray  let  me  know  what  prospect 
there  is  of  his  succeeding  and  who  opposes  him. 

Please  present  my  best  respects  to  your  father,  sister,  &c. 
when  next  you  see  them,  or  write  to  them.  It  will  be  im- 
possible for  me,  I  fear,  to  see  you  this  summer.  My  old, 
faithful  horse,  for  some  time  past  has  been  a  little  lame  and 
I  could  not  safely  trust  (him)  in  so  long  a  Journey. 

My  respects  to  Mr.  Torrence  and  family.  Tell  Mr.  E. 
Osborne11    that   I   am  happy   to  hear   that   he   is   about   to 

huckle  to  with  so  amiable  a  lady  as  Miss  S S . 

Your  Brother, 
Mr.  Robert  W.  Harris,  Ciiaules  W.  Harris. 

Salisbury. 
Halifax,  K  C. 
May  12th,  1800. 


72  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

1  John  Haywood,  of  Halifax,  was  Attorney-General  of  North  Carolina 
from  1791  to  1794.  In  1794  he  was  elected  by  the  Assembly  as  a  judge  of  the 
Superior  Court  and  served  on  the  bench  until  1S00,  at  which  time  he  re- 
signed, and  accepted  a  retainer  of  $1,000  to  defend  James  Glasgow  against  the 
charge  of  issuing  fraudulent  land  warrants  while  Secretary  of  State  (1777- 
1798).  By  this  action,  and  his  course  during  the  trial,  Haywood  incurred  a 
considerable  degree  of  odium  in  the  state.  As  a  result  he  emigrated  to 
Tennessee  where  he  became  a  member  of  the  Supreme  Court,  which  office 
he  held  until  his  death  in  1826.  While  a  citizen  of  North  Carolina  he  had 
published  "A  Treatise  on  the  Duty  and  Office  of  Justices  of  the  1'eace,  Sheriffs, 
etc.,"  and  "A  Manual  of  the  Laws  of  North  Carolina."  in  Tennessee  he 
published  "The  Natural  and  Aboriginal  History  of  Tennessee." 

2  This  gloomy  picture  of  court  congestion  and  the  multiplicity  and  charac- 
ter of  the  crimes  before  the  County  Courts  in  the  year  1S00  tends  somewhat 
to  soften  the  view,  now  so  generally  and  justly  prevalent,  that  our  judicial 
system  is  inadequate  and  too  slow-moving.  The  contrast  is  in  favor  of  the 
present ;  but  few  would  contend  that  our  present  system  is  a  remarkable 
product  for  a  hundred  and  more  years  of  growth. 

3  Harris'  appreciation  of  the  fact  that  the  West,  or  "back  country"  was  at 
this  date  maintaining  Federalist  leaders  in  office,  while  the  East  generally 
was  in  control  of  the  Democracy. 

4  Elections  for  the  Seventh  Congress  and  for  president  of  the  United 
States. 

5  Thomas  Blount,  representative  from  North  Carolina  in  the  3rd,  4th,  and 
5th  Congresses  (1793-1799)  and  again  in  the  9th,  10th  and  12th  Congresses, 
dying  in  office  in  1812.  He  was  a  resident  of  Tarboro  in  Edgecomba.  lie  was 
sixth  in  a  family  of  ten,  the  offspring  of  Jacob  Blount,  of  Craven.  Three 
others  of  the  brothers  attained  distinction  in  public  life.  These  were  William, 
Willie,  and  John  Gray  Blount.  (For  the  family  genealogy  see  Wheeler's 
Reminiscences,  page  130,  et  seq. 

c  Willis  Alston,  of  Halifax.  Member  of  Congress  from  1799  to  1815  and 
again  from  1825  to  1831.  He  was  a  strong  republican  partizan  and  much 
hated  by  his  opponents.  During  the  War  of  1812  he  was  Chairman  of 
House  Ways  and  Means  Committee. 

7  Gideon  Alston  was  a  brother  of  Willis  Alston  and  likewise  an  ardent 
Republican.  He  was  in  the  state  senate  in  1805  and  1800.  In  1807  he  was 
elected  a  Councillor  of  State  by  the  Assembly  and  to  the  same  office  in  each 
succesive  year  until  1831,  one  year  excepted,  1815. 

8  Thomas  McKean,  member  from  Pennsylvania  to  the  Stamp  Act  Con- 
gress, 1765,  delegates  from  Delaware  to  the  First  Continental  Congress,  1774, 
and  to  the  Second  Continental  Congress,  1775,  a  Signer  of  the  Declaration 
of  Independence  and  of  the  Articles  of  Confederation,  author  of  the  Constitu- 
tion of  Delaware.  He  was  the  only  man  who  served  continuously  through 
all  the  sessions  of  the  two  Continental  Congresses.  In  1799  he  was  elected 
in  opposition  to  the  Federalists  as  governor  of  Pennsylvania  where  the  transi- 
tion to  Republican  control  was  accompanied  by  loud  mutterings  of  discontent 
on  the  part  of  the  Federalist  party.  Nevertheless  he  was  chosen  for  three 
successive  terms,  retiring  from  the  office  in   1808. 

"  Forebodings  as  to  what  Jefrerson  would  do  with  the  appointing  power, 
should  he  be  elected  president,  was  general  among  the  Federalists  throughout 
the  country.  Upon  election,  however,  his  use  of  the  appointing  power  was 
much  milder  than  his  opponents  had  anticipated,  though  they  refused  to 
admit  this.  He  made  no  clean  sweep  of  the  Federalist  incumbents  but  at- 
tempted a  policy  of  equalization  by  degrees,  removing  a  few  Federalist  office- 
holders directly,  replacing  others  with  Republicans  as  terms  expired  by  limita- 
tion, and  still  others  whom  death  removed  from  office.  In  other  words,  the 
first  Republican  president  of  the  United  States  was  not  a  "spoilsman." 

10  Spruce  McCay,  of  Rowan,  member  of  the  Superior  Court  bench  from 
1782  to  1808.  the  date  of  his  death.  He  was  one  of  the  most  useful  citizens 
of  the  state  during  the  years  of  his  service.  He  married  Fannie  Henderson, 
daughter  of  Judge  Richard  Henderson,  founder  of  the  Transylvania  Compnny 
which  made  the  pioneer  effort,  on  an  extended  scale,  in  the  settlement  of 
Kentucky  and  Tennessee.     Contrary   to  Harris'   supposition,   it  does  not  seem 


The  Harris  Letters  73 

/ikely  that  Judge  McCay  was  a  candidate  for  Congress  from  the  Salisbury 
district  in  1800.  In  that  year  Archibald  Henderson,  McCay's  brother-in-law, 
was  the  Federalist  candidate  for  the  district,  to  succeed  himself,  and  was  suc- 
cessfully elected. 

11  Edwin  Jay  Osborne,  of  Row.an,  a  member  of  the  first  graduating  class 
at  the  University  of  North  Carolina  (1798).  He  became  a  useful  lawyer, 
practicing  first  at  Wilmington  and  later  removing  to  Salisbury.  He  was 
the  father  of  Judge  James  W.  Osborne,  who  was  born  in  1811,  graduated  at 
the  State  University  in  1S30,  and  became  one  of  the  most  brilliant  lawyers 
the  state  has  ever  produced.  He  was  a  judge  of  the  Superior  Court  from 
1S59  to  his  death  in  1865,  and  was  the  father  of  the  well-known  former 
District  Attorney  of  New  York  of  the  same  name  and  now  living  In  that 
city.     Harris'  reference  above  to  Edwin  Jay  Osborne's  marriage   (buckle  to?) 

with     a    Miss     S S must    have    been     based     on 

mere  rumor,  which  proved  inaccurate.  Osborne  married  a  Miss  Harriet 
Walker,  of  Wilmington. 


Halifax,  June  20,  1800. 
My  dear  Brother, 

Your  letter  of  the  first  Ins.  I  received,  and  am  sorry  that 
my  business  and  absence  prevent  me  from  being  as  punctual 
in  my  correspondence  as  you  are.  .  The  fatigue  of  myself 
and  horse,  with  the  circuit,  which  I  have  just  finished,  the 
length  of  the  journey  and  that  of  the  season  have  conspired 
to  determine  me  to  forego  the  pleasure  of  seeing  my  relations 
this  Summer.  The  extent  of  my  excursion  will  be  to  Shockoe 
Springs1  in  Warren  County.  My  inclinations  still  are  set 
upon  a  voyage  to  sea,  but  the  short  intervals  in  my  business 
present  an  insuperable  Barrier  to  the  execution  of  such  a 
scheme.2 

I  continue  repairing  the  pleasant  lots  which  I  informed 
you  Mr.  Brown  &  myself  had  purchased ;  the  house  is  almost 
ready  for  my  reception.  I  have  laid  out  about  one  hundred 
dollars  besides  the  purchase,  and  to  make  it  convenient,  some 
hundreds  more  would  be  necessary.  Boarding  is  here  so  ex- 
travagant that  I  look  forward  to  such  arrangements  as  will 
enable  me  to  furnish  breakfast  and  supper  within  myself. 

Our  general  attention  as  to  public  affairs  is  set  upon  the 
election  of  president  and  vice-president.  The  issue  depends 
upon  our  state.3  As  far  as  I  can  procure  information,  the 
following  is  a  statement  of  probabilities : 


74 


James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 


FEDERAL 

A.NTIEEDERAE 

PROBABILITIES 

Edenton 

District  Mr.  Harvey 

Col. 

Hamilton 

) 

Bertie 

"       Wm.  McKenzie 

Col. 

Winn 

Vantified. 

Halifax 

"        Mr.  Haywood 

Gid. 

Alston 

f 

Washington 

"        Col.  Mayo 

Mr. 

Ed.  Hall 

J-  federal 

Granville 

"        L.  Henderson 

Col. 

Taylor 

Hillsboro 

W.  Alves 

Col. 

Tatom 

doubtful 

Fayette 

"        Martin 

"        Mr.  Jones 

"       Judge  MacCoy 

I  federal 

Salisbury 

J 

Wilmington 
Morgan 

<< 

— doubtful 

„ 

Surry  &c. 

" 

— antified. 

Almost  every  person  has  his  own  opinion  respecting  these 
elections.  Pray  let  me  know  what  is  the  general  opinion 
respecting  them  in  your  county. 

Should  it  prove  true  that  Buonaparte  has  lately  been 
mortally  wounded0  our  negotiations  must  be  retarded  and 
our  expectations  of  celebrating  the  fourth  of  July  with 
Gen.  Davie  be  entirely  disappointed.6  It  is  now  known  that 
the  Portsmouth — Capt.  Neal,  sailed  for  the  purpose  of 
bringing  back  our  Envoys — she  has  been  gone  nearly  three 
months. 

From  Raleigh  we  hear  that  Glasgow7  and  Willoughby 
Williamss  have  been  found  guilty,  that  the  Grand  Jury  has 
found  a  bill  against  Thomas  Blount.9  It  has  been  whispered 
that  the  indictments  against  these  men  are  deficient  and  not 
supportable,  if  so,  we  shall  hear  that  Judgment  has  been 
accepted.  This  would  completely  settle  the  business  with 
our  State  officers,  particularly  with  Mr.  Baker.10 
I  am,  your  brother, 

Charles  W.  Harris. 
Mr.  Robert  W.  Harris, 
Salisbury, 

N.  Carolina. 


Mail  Halifax,  K 

June   21st. 


0. 


The  Harris  Letters  75 

1  Shockoe  Springs,  in  Warren  County,  was  in  colonial  days  and  the  early 
period  of  the  republic  a  well-known  and  favorite  health  resort.  The  waters 
were  regarded  as  having  excellent  medicinal  qualities  and  attracted  health- 
seekers  from  afar. 

2  Harris  made  this  voyage  to  sea  before  his  death  and  failed  to  find  the 
relief  he  anticipated.     See  below. 

3  In  the  electoral  vote  of  1800  Adams  received  65  and  Jefferson  and  Burr 
73  each,  the  election  in  consequence  being  thrown  into  the  House  for  a  deci- 
sion between  Jefferson  and  Burr,  and  with  the  well  known  result.  North 
Carolina  had  twelve  electoral  votes  at  this  date,  the  electors  being  chosen  by 
districts.  Of  these  Adams  secured  four  and  Jefferson  eight.  Hence  Harris' 
estimate  of  the  probable  Federalist  strength  exceeded  it  by  one  vote.  In 
1796  Adams  had  carried  only  one  district  in  the  state. 

4  Harris'  list  of  the  electoral  candidates  is  incomplete,  and  the  editor  is 
unable  to  complete  it  with  the  material  accessible. 

5  One  of  the  many  false  rumors  that  frequently  reached  America  of  Napo- 
leon's assassination. 

6  General  Davie  did  not  arrive  in  America  until  the  first  week  in  Decem- 
ber, 1800,  landing  in  Norfolk.  Hope  in  the  favorable  character  of  the  treaty 
he  carried  immediately  boosted  the  price  of  export  commodities.  (See 
Raleigh  Register,  Dec.  16,  1800). 

7  James  Glasgow,  secretary  of  state  in  North  Carolina  from  1777  to  1708, 
was  brought  to  trial  the  10th  of  June,  1800,  before  a  special  court  composed, 
by  an  act  of  the  Assembly  for  the  especial  purpose,  of  the  judges  of  the 
four  superior  court  districts  into  which  the  state  was  then  divided.  Judge 
John  Haywood  resigned  before  the  court  convened  and  became  the  chief 
advocate  of  the  defense.  The  remaining  three  judges,  Samuel  Johnston,  John 
Louis  Taylor,  and  John  Hall  constituted  the  court.  The  charges  against 
Glasgow  embraced  particular  the  fraudulent  issue  of  land  warrants  by  which 
he  had  materially  profited.  He  was  convicted,  the  court  rendering  its  deci- 
sion on  the  17th  June,  the  penalty  being  a  fine  of  2000  pounds  and  commit- 
ment to  jail  until  the  fine  was  paid. 

8  Willoughby  Williams,  of  Greene  County,  Deputy  Secretary  of  State,  was 
indicted  and  tried  with  Glasgow  for  collusion  and  also  convicted,  his  penalty 
being  500  pounds  and  jail  until  paid. 

9  The  Blount  brothers,  Thomas  and  John  Gray,  were  also  indicted  before 
the  special  court,  charged  with  procurement  of  land  warrants  by  fraud 
through  James  Armstrong,  entry-taker  of  claims  for  western  lands.  The 
frauds  charged  were  of  date  1789,  the  lands  concerned  being  now  (1800)  in 
the  state  of  Tennessee.  Both  were  ultimately  acquitted.  John  Gray  Blount 
was  in  early  manhood  a  companion  of  Daniel  Boone  in  trans-mountain  ex- 
ploration and  had  taus  become  interested  in  the  western  country.  A  resident 
of  Beaufort,  he  was  reputed  at  the  date  of  the  trial  to  be  the  largest  land- 
holder in  the  state,  much  of  it,  however,  being  property  in  the  new  state  to 
the  west.  It  was  the  western  land  interests  of  the  Blount  family  that  carried 
two  other  of  the  Blount  brothers,  William  and  Willie,  to  the  trans-mountain 
frontier.  In  1790  William  Blount  was  appointed  by  Washington  as  governor 
of  the  Territory  south  of  the  Ohio,  just  ceded  by  Virginia  and  North  Carolina 
to  the  Federal  Government.  The  northern  portion  became  the  state  of  Ken- 
tucky in  1792.  Blount  was  president  of  the  Convention  which  made  the 
Constitution  under  which  Tennesee  became  a  state  in  1796.  In  the  same  year 
he  was  chosen  United  States  senator  from  Tennessee  ana  in  1797  was  ex- 
pelled from  the  senate  for  inciting  the  Creeu  and  Cherokee  Indians  to  at- 
tacks upon  Spanish  territory.  Willie  Blount  was  secretary  to  his  brother 
while  territorial  governor,  and  himself  governor  of  Tennessee  from  1809 
to  1815. 

10  Blake  Baker,  the  Attorney-General,  was  suspected  by  the  public  of  lack- 
ing zeal  in  his  efforts  to  uncover  the  land  frauds.  So  general  became  this 
opinion  that  he  published  a  defense  of  himself.  See  Raleigh  Register, 
Sept.  9,  1S00. 


76  James  Spbunt  Historical  Publications 

Wabben  County,,  Shockoe  Speings, 
July  11th,  1800. 
My  deab  Bbothee, 

I  have  been  at  this  place  five  days  drinking  the  mineral, 
and  feel  no  effects  from  it.  I  had  greater  expectations  from 
the  change  of  air  and  exercise  than  from  any  virtue  in  the 
water.  I  have  fixed  myself  with  accommodations  a  mile  and 
a  half  from  the  springs,  walk  to  it  every  morning  before 
Breakfast,  and  ride  to  it  at  noon  and  night.  This  spring, 
like  all  others  of  the  kind  has  profound  wonders, — at  one 
time  or  another  every  disorder  in  its  turn  has  been  removed 
by  its  power,  if  we  are  to  credit  common  report.  It  rises 
within  about  eight  feet  from  the  bed  of  Shockoe  Creek,  is 
nearly  as  low  as  the  creek  water  and  springs  from  a  bed  of 
mud,  which  in  wet  seasons  is  trodden  up  by  the  cows  (who 
are  very  fond  of  the  water)  and  rendered  inaccessible  except 
by  walking  upon  poles  laid  down  for  the  purpose.  The  mud 
is  black,  and  yellow  sediment  appears  in  every  part  of  the 
spring  or  its  branch.  There  is  no  inclosure  around  it.  No 
baths.  ]STo  accommodations  to  be  had  at  the  spot.  The  water 
is  a  strong  dinsetic  and  from  its  taste  I  imagine  it  is  princi- 
pally nitrous.  It  is  eight  miles  from  Warrenton,  40  from 
Halifax  and  near  50  from  Raleigh.1 

The  fourth  of  July  has  everywhere  been  celebrated  with 
great  attention.  The  toasts  drunk  upon  that  occasion  will  be 
a  kind  of  key  to  the  political  sentiments  of  the  most  reputable 
class  of  citizens.  Federalism  and  its  opponent  become  daily 
more  distinctly  divided  by  districts,  counties,  towns,  or  neigh- 
borhoods, but  this  division  will  be  only  formidable  when 
States  become  the  limits  of  political  opinions,  then  nothing 
less  than  a  dissolution  of  our  Union  will  be  the  consequence, 
and  on  this  principle  we  seem  now  nearly  ripe  for  a  division.2 

The  death  of  Jefferson  has  been  reported.  It  first  came 
from  Baltimore,  the  Jacobins3  believe  it  not.  I  mentioned 
it  to  Citizen  Macon4  on  my  arrival  at  Warrenton.  He  had 
not  heard  it  before,  turned  off,  supposed  I  was  sporting  with 
him,  and  would  have  no  further  conversation  on  the  subject. 


The  Haeeis  Lettees  77 

It  would  entirely   disconcert  the  wondrous   and  deep   laid 
plans  of  those  disorganizes. 

I  am  closely  engaged  in  learning  the  French  language 
under  the  Marquis  de  Clugny,5  and  hope  to  be  able  to  con- 
verse in  it  before  Christmas.  Give  my  respects  to  Mr.  Tor- 
rence  and  family. 

I  am,  with  affection, 

Your  brother, 

Chaeles  W.  Haeeis. 
Mr.  Robert  W.  Harris, 
Salisbury,  K  C. 

Warrenton,  N".   C. 

July  22nd,  1800. 


1  See  note  on   Shockoe  Springs  appended  to  an  earlier  letter  in  the  series. 

2  As  the  presidential  election  of  1800  approached,  party  spirit  ran  so  hi^h 
that  many  public  men  seriously  anticipated  a  dissolution  of  the  Union.  Par- 
tizan  rancor  was  particularly  stirred  to  white  heat  by  the  Alien  and  Sedition 
Acts  and  the  trials  that  took  place  under  the  latter.  Jefferson's  followers 
believed  these  acts  a  clear  invasion  by  Congress  of  the  sphere  of  personal 
rights  under  state  control.  Centralization  of  all  powers  in  the  hands  of  the 
Federal  government  seemed  to  the  Republicans  the  Federalists'  program.  The 
Virginia-Kentucky  Resolutions  voiced  their  protests  and  excitement  continued 
to  grow  until  Jefferson  was  actually  in  office.  It  was  a  critical  year  in 
American  history,  for  the  followers  of  Jefferson  were  doubtless  inclined  to  go 
to  extreme  lengths  to  wrest  control  from  the  Federalist  party. 

3  The  followers  of  Jefferson  were  generally  called  "Jacobins"  by  their  oppo- 
nents during  the  last  decade  of  the  century.  The  purpose  was  to  identify  Re- 
publican principles  with  those  of  the  extreme  radicals,  members  of  the 
Jacobin   Clubs,   in   the   "Terror"   period   of   the   French   Revolution. 

4  Nathaniel  Macon,  of  Warren  County,  representative  in  Congress  from 
North  Carolina  from  1791  to  1817,  speaker  of  the  House  from  1801  to  1807, 
and  United  States  senator  from  1817  to  1827.  He  was  a  stout  supporter 
of  the  principals  of  Republicanism.  Harris'  reference  to  him  as  "citizen" 
Macon  is  ironical,  citizen  being  the  usual  Federalist  appellation  given  to  the 
leaders  of  the  democracy  in  America  to  emphasize  their  identity  in  principles 
with  the  extremists  in  France  under  whose  influence  titles  of  nobility  had 
been  abolished  in  the  revolution  and  "citizen"  decreed  the  only  allowable 
prefix. 

5  A  French  nobleman  resident  in  Warrenton,  a  refugee  of  the  Revolution. 


Wareenton, 
July  29th,  1800. 
My  deae  Beothee, 

Your  letters  of  the  first  and  15th  inst.  arrived  at  this 
place  a  few  days  ago  being  forwarded  by  the  P.  M.  of  Hali- 
fax, and  thank  you  for  the  information  they  contain.     I  hope 


78  James  Spkunt  Historical  Publications 

there  is  but  little  doubt  respecting  the  selection  of  Mr.  Hen- 
derson.1 However  firm  your  district  may  be,  Jacobin  prin- 
ciples seem  to  increase  in  strength  here.  In  this  division  for 
Elector  I  believe  the  anti-federal  candidate  will  receive  a 
majority  of  votes  in  every  county.  Mr.  Haywood,  late  judge, 
as  affairs  have  turned,  was  the  most  improper  person  in  the 
district  to  be  proposed  for  that  office.  He  is  wavering  and 
undetermined,  and  his  conduct  of  late  has  not  only  ruined 
his  own  popularity  but  injured  the  cause  which  we  expected 
he  would  promote.  The  resignation  of  his  judgeship  at  a 
time  the  public  had  the  greatest  demand  for  his  services,  and 
when  his  place  could  not  be  filled  by  an  appointment,  is  con- 
sidered by  every  person  in  the  same  unfavorable  light,  and 
leads  to  a  conclusion  that  avarice  is  his  primum  mobile.  So 
far  has  it  operated  against  him  that  in  the  county  of  Franklin 
where  he  resides,  and  for  which  he  offers  as  a  representative 
in  the  next  General  Assembly,  he  will  not  receive  more  than 
fifty  votes.2 

In  your  letters  I  hear  nothing  from  Ragton  nor  from 
your  neighbors.  Is  your  father  &c  well  ?  for  he  rarely  sends 
me  a  letter.  I  received  accounts  a  few  days  past  from  your 
sister.3  She  always  writes  to  inform  me  of  something  dis- 
astrous, the  death  of  her  mother-in-law,  and  of  others,  her 
neighbors  were  announced  in  her  last. 

Tomorrow  I  leave  this  Republican  county  and  will  spend 
some  days  in  Franklin  and  Nash  on  my  return  to  Halifax; 
my  court  soon  begins.  I  must  be  in  readiness  and  have  adopt- 
ed your  plan  of  writing  some  days  before  my  promised  time, 
when  I  suspect  any  business  or  absence  might  otherwise 
prevent  it. 

I  am,  Dr.  Brother, 

Yours  affectionately, 

-mt     n  i     i.  ttt    tt      •  Charles  W.  Harris. 

Mr.  Robert  W.  Harris, 

Salisbury,  N.  C. 


1  Archibald  Henderson,  of  Salisbury,  a  Federalist  aspirant  as  representa- 
tive in  the  6th  Congress,  to  be  elected  in  November.  Henderson  was  success- 
ful, and  also  again  in  ISOii. 


The  Harris  Letters  79 


*  See  a  former  note  on  Haywood's  resignation  from  the  bench.  He  was 
defeated  in  1S00  both  as  candidate  for  presidential  elector  and  for  the  As- 
sembly. 

3  The  only  sister  of  Charles  Wilson  Harris  and  Robert  Wilson  Harris  was 
named  Jane,  born  in  1770,  and  died  in  1842.  She  married  Nathaniel  Alexan- 
der, son  of  Abram  Alexander,  chairman  of  the  "Mecklenburg  Declaration" 
Convention. 


Halifax, 

T.         -o  Alio-.  3rd,  1800. 

Dear  .Brother,  ° 

I  have  arrived  at  Halifax  sooner  than  was  expected  when 
I  last  wrote  to  you.  A  few  fevers  and  agues  have  made  their 
appearance  here  during  my  absence.  As  for  myself  I  feel  a 
little  improved  by  my  journey  and  hope  to  weather  out  the 
storm. 

Letters  from  Gen.  Davie  arrived  here  by  the  two  last 
posts,  but  contained  nothing  except  of  a  private  nature.  They 
are  dated  as  far  back  as  the  19th  of  April.  The  Portsmouth, 
— Capt.  ISTeal — was  then  waiting  to  bring  the  commissioners 
home.  The  General  expected  to  celebrate  the  4th  of  July  in 
America.  In  this  expectation  he  has  been  disappointed.  The 
different  accounts  which  we  have  seen  in  the  papers  re- 
specting any  final  adjustment  of  our  differences  with  France, 
or  of  a  failure  of  the  mission  must  be  entirely  fabricated. 
And  little  credit  can  be  attached  to  any  accounts  of  their 
proceedings  until  officially  published.1  In  my  absence  the 
Rushlight2  came  to  hand.  Mr.  Hodge  who  knew  of  my  in- 
tention of  sending  you  one  set,  was  good  enough  to  forward 
them  postpaid.  I  hope  you  have  received  them.  If  your 
friends  on  Rocky  River  have  not  seen  them,  you  can  send 
them  down.     They  will  serve  to  pass  off  a  dull  moment. 

Thomas  Blount  has  been  acquitted  and  his  brother  J.  G. 
Blount,  as  they  say  Honorably.  T.  B.3  has  made  an  offer  of 
his  services  as  a  representative  to  Congress.  I  cannot  pretend 
to  say  whether  or  not  he  will  be  elected. 

Let  me  hear  from  you  as  soon  as  your  elections  are  de- 
cided.    I  am,  Your  Brother> 

.  Charles  W.  Harris. 

Mr.  Robert  W.  Harris, 

Salisbury,  H.  C. 


80  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 


1  See  note  in  an  earlier  letiter. 

2  Porcupine's  pamphlet  gazette.     See  note  in  an  earlier  letter. 

8  Thomas  Blount.     He  was  defeated  for  this,  the  6th  Congress. 
to  an  earlier  letter  for  his  congressional  services. 


Halifax,  Aug.  29th,  1800. 
Dear  Brother, 

Your  letter  containing  the  details  of  the  election  in  jour 
district  I  this  day  received, — the  substance  I  have  given  to 
Mr.  Hodge.  I  did  not  write  agreeably  to  your  request,  be- 
cause I  found  that  all  information  which  my  letter  could 
contain  would  be  included  in  Mr.  H.'s  Journal.1  Mr.  Blount2 
lost  his  election  by  a  great  majority,  but  who  are  we  rep- 
resented by  ?  Why,  a  trifling,  Jesuitical  pretender  to  poli- 
tics, who  if  he  dare  to  speak  as  he  thinks  would  be  found  very 
discordant  in  sentiment  from  a  great,  and  the  most  respect- 
able part  of  his  constitutents.  All  that  can  be  said  in  his 
favour  is  comprised  in  saying  that  he  is  preferable  to  Blount. 
That  Great  Demagogue  is  worn  down.  I  attended  Tarboro 
court  last  week.  I  did  not  meet  with  him  in  any  company 
during  the  whole  term.  ~No  dinings  nor  drinkings  at  his 
house,  none  of  his  prattle  in  the  streets  or  public  houses. 
The  hand  bills  which  he  has  industriously  posted  along  every 
road,  seem  to  pronounce  to  all  that  he  is  at  least  of  a  suspic- 
ious character.  They  have  wrought  conviction  in  no  person's 
mind,  but  have  raised  doubts  in  many. 

Mr.  Hodge's  last  papers  contain  some  accounts  of  the 
speeches  of  a  great3  Lawyer.  Were  you  acquainted  with 
Blake  Baker,  it  would  be  unnecessary  to  inform  you  that 
he  is  orator  and  politician  alluded  to.  He  has  lately  com- 
menced a  most  violent  demonstration  and  always  was  a  fool. 
He  has  been  open  and  scurrilous  in  his  abuse  of  Mr.  Hodge, 
&  a  few  more  in  this  neighborhood.  And  that  provoked  what 
you  now  see  in  print;  he  will  be  a  candidate  for  Senator  at 
next  assembly,  and  (also?)  Judge  Taylor.4 

Letters  arrived  here  this  evening  from  Gen.  Davie,  dated 
May  18th.  The  negotiation  had  been  retarded  by  the  indis- 
position of  Joseph  Buonaparte,  the  head  of  the  French  Com- 


The  Harris  Letters  81 

missioners  and  Tallien,  one  of  the  ministers.  At  the  date  of 
the  letters  they  had  recovered  and  their  business  was  pro- 
gressing slowly.  However,  we  have  good  reason  to  believe 
that  the  negotiation  was  suspended  in  June.  The  intelligence 
comes  by  a  late  arrival  from  St.  Sebastian.5 

Great  exertions  are  making  by  Mr.  Baker,  Blount,  Ma- 
con, and  a  few  others  to  have  Gales6  elected  public  printer 
in  the  place  of  our  friend  Mr.  Hodge.  This  gentleman  Gales 
is  said  to  be  by  birth  an  Irishman,  but  it  is  certain  that  he 
lately  conducted  a  weekly  publication  in  Sheffield  in  England 
and  came  to  America  because  he  did  not  behave  peaceably 
at  home.  It  is  certain  that  he  was  invited  from  Philadelphia 
to  Raleigh  by  party  men  for  party  purposes.  A  letter  of 
John  G.  Blount  to  Gen.  Willis7  of  Lumberton  is  a  sufficient 
proof  of  this, — this  letter,  owing  to  its  reference  to  some  land 
speculation  on  which  (torn)  has  been  brought  in  our  Sup. 
Court  was  delivered  in  Mr.  Brown's  hands,  where  it  now  is. 
It  opens  to  Gen.  Willis  the  whole  plan  and  congratulates  him 
on  the  prospect,  and  refers  to  some  consoling  letters  from  his 
brother  Tom.  Pray  listen  &  let  me  know  what  the  members 
from  your  country  think  on  the  subject  of  State  printer  and 
inform  me. 

I  am,  dear  sir. 
Your, 

Chart.es  W.   Harris. 
Mr.  Robert  W.  Harris, 
Salisbury, 

X.  Carolina. 


1  Either  Hodge's  '"North  Carolina  Journal."  at  Halifax,  or  his  '"North 
Carolina  Minerva  and  Raleigh  Advertiser."  at  Raleigh.  See  an  earlier  note 
for  Hodge's  career  as  publisher. 

-  Thomas  Blount,  candidate  for  Congress.  See  note  to  previous  letter. 
Willis  Alston,  Republican,  as  was  Blount,  won  an  easy  victory.  Harris'  dis- 
taste for  Blount  was  probably  more  than  political.  He  doubtless  believed  him 
guilty  in  the  land  fraud  charges.  Nevertheless  the  context  seeems  to  prove 
Blount  an  adroit  politician  and  master  of  the  weapons  in  use  during  the  early 
ante-prohibition  era.  This  may  have  accounted  for  his  political  recrude- 
scence in   1805. 

3  Spoken  in  irony  of  Attorney-fJeneral  Blake  Baker,  whom  Harris  seems 
to  dislike  equally  with  Blount. 

*  John  Louis  Taylor,  of  Cumberland,  judge  of  Superior  Court.  David 
Stone,  of  Bertie,  was  the  successful   candidate  before  this  assemblv    (Nov.   17- 


82  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 


Dec.   20,   1800)    for  the  United   States  senate.     He  succeeded  Timothy  Blood- 
worth,  and  had  Jesse  Franklin,  of  Surry,  as  colleague.    Both  were  Republicans. 

5  St.  Sebastian,  a  Spanish  port  on  the  Northern,  or  Biscay,  coast. 

6  Joseph  Gales,  of  Sheffield,  England.  Gales  edited  the  Sheffield  Register 
until  1796.  Pitt's  Treasonable  Practices  Bill  and  Seditious  Meetings  Bill 
of  1795  tended  to  curb  the  rights  of  the  press  in  voicing  the  discontent  of 
the  English  masses  who  were  suffering  from  the  bui'dens  of  the  government's 
war  against  the  French  Revolution.  Gales  in  consequence  came  to  America 
and  set  up  his  paper  at  Philadelpnia  in  1796.  Nathaniel  Macon  in  1799 
induced  him  to  come  to  Raleigh  where  he  set  up  the  Raleigh  Register  which 
at  once  became  the  organ  of  the  Republican  party  in  the  state.  The  aggres- 
siveness and  the  ability  of  the  editor  soon  made  his  paper  trie  leading 
journal  in  the  state  and  greatly  strengthened  the  dominance  of  the  party 
whose  cause  he  backed.  Macon  and  other  Republican  leaders,  in  order  to  in- 
sure the  permanence  and  strength  of  the  paper,  saw  to  it  in  the  fall  of  1800 
that  Gales  was  chosen  by  the  Assembly,  now  Republican,  as  public  printer  over 
the  Federalist  Hodge,  who  had  had  the  public  printing  since  1786.  The 
Federalists  fiercely  resented  and  resisted  this  "abuse  of  patronage"  by  the 
Assembly  but  were  impotent  to  prevent  Hodge's  deposition. 

7  Probably  Colonel  John  Willis,  of  Lumberton,  Robeson  County,  a  Revo- 
lutionary patriot  and  commander  of  militia  in  the  operations  of  General 
dreene  against  Cornwallis  in  1780-81.  He  was  frequently  the  representative 
of  Robeson  in  the  Assembly,  in  both  houses,  between   1787  and  1800. 


Halifax,  Sept.  18,  1800. 
Dr.  Brother, 

Your  letter  of  Aug,-.  20th  I  received  last  night,  on  my  re- 
turn from  Martin  Court.  You  complain  that  I  do  not  write 
regularly  to  you,  yet  I  cannot  recollect  that  T  have  neglected 
to  write  you  a  letter  at  the  time  appointed  for  some  months 
past  and  then  my  failure  was  owing  to  absence.  You  request  to 
know  the  author  of  the  Law  character's  speech,  at  New  Bern. 
It  is  principally  Mr.  Shepperd1  who  is  the  Federal  candi- 
date in  that  District  for  Elector,  tho'  several  other  persons 
had  their  share  in  it.  Citizen  Hodge  could  not  help  adding 
a  little,  as  far  as  relates  to  the  subject  of  British  Debts.  The 
"Affair  at  Brantley"  and  "Anticipation,"  which  wore  in  the 
succeeding  journal  are  to  be  ascribed  to  Mr.  Hodge.  The 
''proclamation"  in  this  day's  paper  is  Mr.  Brown's,  and  "the 
further  particulars  of  the  late  Battle  at  Raleigh"  is  mine; 
thus  you  have  a  general  account  of  authorship2  which  you 
will  use,  I  am  certain  with  prudence.  Mr.  Baker  was  on  a 
visit  to  Prince  Edward  in  Virginia  to  see  his  wife's  relations, 
and  went  at  least  thirty  miles  out  of  his  way  to  receive  a  beat- 
ing at  Raleigh.  I  expected  that  the  colouring  in  Boylan's  let- 
ter was  high,  but  on  comparing  it  with  the  representation  of 


The  Harris  Letters  83 

indifferent  persons  it  appears  altogether  moderate,  certain 
it  is  the  attorney  betrayed  a  most  dastardly  soul  to  receive 
four  or  live  blows  on  his  back  without  facing  the  danger. 
Mr.  Sessnms,  his  own  champion,  says  he  shed  tears  in  the 
street  before  he  got  clear  of  the  field  of  battle.  Mr.  Schenck, 
his  friend  from  Tarboro  says  the  Attorney  was  so  dismayed 
at  the  first  blow  that  he  did  not  once  raise  his  loaded  whip. 
All  condemn.  Boylan  is  a  very  young  man,  about  my  height, 
but  heavier  and  is  much  less  than  B.  Baker.  He  is  nephew  to 
friend  Hodge.  I  hope  your  part  of  the  State  will  do  every- 
thing possible  to  secure  Mr.  Hodge's  election  as  State  printer. 
The  Jacobins  have  two  great  objects  in  view  at  the  next  gen- 
eral Assembly,  one  to  elect  B.  Baker  Senator  of  the  IT.  States. 
He  is  a  kind  of  Martyr  to  their  cause.  The  other  is  to  give 
the  patronage  of  the  state  to  a  printer  of  violent  anti-federal 
principles.  As  to  the  first,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  Blake's  own 
stupidity,  folly  and  cowardice  will  prevent  their  wnskes. 
Xever  did  a  man  lay  himself  open  to  so  much  merited  cen- 
sure as  he  has  done  by  his  late  conduct.  It  ought  to  be  pub- 
lished every  where,  and  spoken  of  by  every  tongue.  It  only 
requires  to  he  known  and  understood  to  be  detested. 

Our  republican  neighbours,  the  Virginians,  have  lately 
almost  experienced  the  same  blessed  effects  of  their  outrage- 
ous democratic  whims.0'  The  negroes  in  Richmond  and  its 
neighbourhood  had  combined  to  make  a  general  slaughter  of 
all  the  white  males  and  elderly  women.  The  younger  were  to 
be  preserved  for  their  wives,  they  had  a  bold  adventurer  at 
their  head  who  was  to  assume  the  name  of  Buonaparte.  They 
had  prepared  a  vast  number  of  pikes  and  fabricated  arms  of 
different  kinds  out  of  scythes,  sickles,  etc.,  which  were  con- 
cealed in  their  cabins,  had  provided  funds,  from  which  they 
in  several  instances  gave  as  much  as  four  dollars  bounty  to 
(torn)  or  enlist  a  fellow  in  their  service.  The  plot  was  dis- 
covered only  three  days  before  it  was  to  have  been  put  into 
execution.  The  whole  city  was  in  arms,  a  great  many  ap- 
prehended. Several  have  already  been  executed.  Buona- 
parte by  the  hist  accounts  had  not  been  taken,  but  had  tied  to 


84  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

the  woods  in  a  complete  suit  of  regimentals.  Tho'  nothing 
of  this  has  transpired  in  the  papers,  it  comes  in  a  way  that 
cannot  be  doubted. 

I  am,  dear  brother, 

Most  affectionately  yours, 

Charles  W.  Harris. 
Mr.  Robert  W.  Harris, 

Salisbury,  N".  Carolina. 


1  Probably  William  Shepard,  Esq.  of  New  Bern,  father  of  William  Biddle 
Shepard.  member  of  Congress  1829-1837,  and  of  Charles  Shepard,  member  of 
Congress  1837-1841. 

2  The  titles  so  liberally  interspersed  in  the  above  letter  seem  to  refer 
to  articles  by  the  several  gentlemen  named,  which  doubtless  appears  in 
Hodge's  Raleigh  paper,  The  North  Carolina  Minerva  and  Raleigh  Advertiser. 
The  editor  hasn't  access  to  the  paper  of  the  dates  upon  which  they  probably 
appeared.  Most  or  all  of  them  were  doubtless  of  a  controversial  character 
and  Harris'  contribution  ;  "The  further  particulars  of  the  late  battle  at 
Raleigh,"  must  have  been  an  account,  colored  in  the  interest  of  the  Federalist, 
of  an  encounter  between  Blake  Baker,  the  Attorney-General,  and  William 
Boylan,  nephew  of  Hodge  and  co-editor  of  the  Minerva.  Prom  the  context  it 
seems  that  the  trouble  grew  out  of  the  struggle  over  the  question  of  the 
public  printing,  which  the  Minerva  had  and  was  about  to  lose  to  Gales  of 
the  opposite  party  and  editor  of  the  Raleigh  Register.  Boylan  was  a  very 
partisan  and  aggressive  Federalist  and  moreover  had  a  financial  interest  at 
stake. 

3  Harris  attributes  every  ill  that  affects  the  country  to  the  rising  tide  of 
democracy.  The  reference  here  is  to  a  slave  rising  in  and  around  Richmond, 
planned  hy  a  slave  named  Gabriel  Prosser,  self-styled  "Bonaparte."  It  was 
to  have  taken  place  September  1st,  1800.  The  rendezvous  of  the  negro  troops 
was  to  be  a  brook  about  six  miles  from  Richmond.  The  force  was  fo  com- 
prise eleven  hundred  slaves,  divided  into  tbree  divisions,  and  marching  upon 
Richmond  from  as  many  sides,  was  to  deliver  a  surprise  night  attack.  The 
arsenal  was  to  be  the  common  objective  point  of  the  three  divisions.  Success 
here  was  to  be  followed  by  a  call  to  arms  of  their  fellow-slaves  and  friends  of 
humanity  throughout  the  continent.  This  well-conceived  plot  proved  abortive. 
Gabriel  was  hunted  down  and  captured  in  hiding  on  board  the  schooner,  Mary, 
four  miles  down  the  .lames,  September  23,  1800.  His  execution  followed 
shortlv. 


Halifax,  Oct.  5,  1800. 
My  dear  Brother, 

I  have  lately  received  several  letters  from  you,  the  last 
dated  Sept.  23rd.  I  feel  myself  much  obliged  to  you  for 
your  attention.  You  have  not  for  some  time  given  me  an 
account  of  your  health. — Whether  you  yet  weigh  your  190 
pounds, — as  for  myself  I  still  linger  in  my  dull  way  some- 
times recovering — sometimes  complaining.  I  have  for  three 
or  four  nights  past  been  troubled  by  what  I  may  call  an  ague 


The  Harris  Letters  85 

and  fever,  but  it  has  no  very  uncomfortable  attendants,  ex- 
cept that  it  possesses  me  with  an  invincible  aversion  to 
sleep.  Besides  my  professional  engagements, — I  am  em- 
ployed in  repairing  the  lots  and  grounds  which  Mr.  Brown 
and  myself  purchased  sometime  past,  and  in  forming  plans 
to  accomodate  myself  on  better  terms  in  future,  am  sowing 
wheat  and  clover  for  pasture,  building  a  kitchen,  and  so  ex- 
pect within  a  very  few  weeks,  to  have  a  boy  and  a  negro 
woman  on  our  lots.  This  will  reduce  the  pain  of  our  wash- 
ing &e  and  the  expense  of  horsefeed.  It  is  right,  and  the  only 
way  to  make  life  comfortable,  always  to  be  engaged  in  some 
plans.  A  few  days  ago  I  made  a  visit  to  Colonel  Haynes,1 
an  acquaintance  of  mine  in  Northampton,  and  uncle  to  Mrs. 
McCoy ;  he  is  now  some  years  older  than  any  of  his  family 
for  some  generations  past  have  been  known  to  be;  he  is  of  a 
weakly  constitution,  and  has  been  lately  reduced  almost  to  a 
shadow  by  an  indisposition  which  has  lasted  some  months ;  he 
never  had  a  child.  After  dinner  he  nearly  exhausted  him- 
self walking  through  and  explaining  a  large  elegant  building 
which  he  now  has  upon  the  stocks,  this  room  he  intended  to 
make  more  elegant  than  any  in  the  county,  that  would  be  a 
fine,  cool  summer  retreat,  a  third  would  be  an  excellent  din- 
ing room ;  here  he  intended  to  plant  a  tree  to  shade  a  window, 
there  to  set  out  an  arbour, — in  short  he  planned  and  ex- 
plained everything  as  if  he  had  the  most  perfect  assurance 
of  living  there  for  three  score  years  to  come,  or  felt  the 
blood  of  youth  warm  and  active  in  his  veins.  Poor  man ! 
I  am  certain,  that  instead  of  living  to  occupy  his  palace,  the 
first  mansion  he  will  remove  to,  will  be  his  coffin,  instead  of 
enjoying  the  shade  of  his  trees  and  arbours.  He  will  never 
live  to  see  them  put  forth  their  first  leaves.  Yet  I  do  not 
blame  him,  life  by  such  castle-building  is  dragged  on  with 
some  comfort,  when  it  might  otherwise  be  entirely  insup- 
portable. 

Last  evening  letters  were  received  here  from  General 
Davie  dated  as  far  back  as  June  14th.  As  usual  they  contain 
nothing  that  respects  the  mission  of  the  envoy,  but  it  is  ob- 


56  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

served  in  one,  that  he  expects  to  arrive  in  America,  nearly 
as  soon  as  the  letter.  It  has  had  a  long  passage,  perhaps  the 
conjectures  printed  in  Hodge's  paper  of  tomorrow  are  not 
altogether  unfounded,  that  the  tardiness  of  the  negotiation 
proceed  from  some  view  which  the  French  government  has 
to  the  ensuing  election  of  President.2  Our  friend  Hodge  is 
not  yet  returned  from  New  York.  I  expect  he  will  be  here 
within  three  weeks.  I  received  $10  by  Colonel  Ashe3  for 
General  Davie. 

I  am,  dear  brother, 

Most  affectionately  yours, 

Charles  W.  Harris. 

My  respects  to  Mr.  Torrence  and  family. 

Halifax,  ST.  C. 
Oct.  6th,  1800. 

Mr.  Eobert  W.  Harris, 

Salisbury,  ~N.  Carolina. 


1  Probably  Eaton  Haynes  of  Northampton  County,  member  of  the  4th 
Carolina  Provincial  Congress,  which  met  at  Halifax  the  4th  of  April,  1776. 

-  The  Federalists  generally  suspected  the  French  government  (now  the 
Consulate)  to  be  wilfully  laggard  in  its  negotiations  with  our  Commisssioners 
with  the  view  of  influencing  favorably  the  Republican  party's  fortunes  in  the 
November  election  for  president.  This  no  doubt  did  enter  into  the  consider- 
ation of  First  Consul  Bonaparte  to  some  extent. 

3  John  Baptista  Ashe  (b.  1758,  d.  1802),  son  of  Governor  Samuel  Ashe 
(governor  from  1795  to  1798,  3  terms).  John  B.  Ashe  was  a  resident  of 
Halifax  and  had  been  a  distinguished  Revolutionary  patriot  and  soldier. 
He  had  fought  at  Alamance  in  the  Regulator  War  of  1771  ;  he  was  a  lieuten- 
ant-colonel under  General  Greene  at  the  battle  of  Eutaw  in  1781  ;  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Continental  Congress  in  1787-88 ;  a  member  of  the  1st  and 
2nd  Congresses  under  the  present  constitution,  and  elected  governor  of  the 
state  in  1802  but  died  before  he  assumed  office. 


Halifax,  Dec.  5th,  1802.1 
Dear  Brother, 

I  received  not  long  since  your  letter  informing  me  that 
you  had  become  postmaster.2  I  shall  duly  attend  to  its  contents 
as  often  as  I  am  at  home.  It  gives  me  great  pleasure  and  no 
small  degree  of  pride  to  hear  that  my  nephew  Charles3  con- 
tinues in  good  health  and  grows  apace.     I  am  confident  that 


The  Hakris  Letters  87 

the  prudence  of  my  sister  and  yourself  will  give  his  infancy 
and  youth  such  treatment  as  will  harden  both  his  body  and 
mind  for  the  rough  vicissitudes  of  manhood.  iSTo  greater 
curses  in  this  life  await  a  man  than  a  feeble  mind  or  puny 
constitution.  I  hope  your  dispute  with  your  father  will  soon 
terminate;  I  cannot,  tho'  disposed  to  judge  most  favorably, 
think  you  are  altogether  free  from  blame  in  the  business. 
Otherwise  the  affair  would  have  been  settled  long  ago.  When 
with  you  I  observed  with  no  inconsiderable  pain,  that  you  had 
not  made  the  conciliatory  graces  (if  I  may  so  call  them) 
either  your  study  or  practice.  The  good  will  of  every  man  is 
worth  something  and  it  is  often  to  be  acquired  by  the  most 
trifling  attentions  than  by  a  more  solid  purchase. 

Let  me  hear  of  your  family  frequently,  how  the  town 
progresses,  if  business  increases,  be  assured  that  everything 
connected  in  any  measure  with  your  interest  cannot  fail  to 
be  most  acceptable  information  to  me.  Present  my  best 
respects  to  my  sister  Abby.4 
I  am, 

Brother, 

Most  affectionately  yours, 

Charles  W.  Harris. 
Mr.  Robert  W.  Harris,  Merchant, 
Sneedsboro,  1ST.  Carolina. 


1  It  is  unfortunate  that  the  two-year  hiatus  in  Charles  Harris'  letters  to 
his  brother  cannot  be  filled  at  present,  though  they  may  yet  appear  from  some 
unknown  source.  It  would  have  been  particularly  interesting  to  have  had 
his  comment  upon  the  election  of  Jefferson  and  the  general  eclipse  of  the 
Federalist  cause  in  1801. 

-  Robert  Wilson  Harris  was  now  post-master  and  merchant  at  Sneedsboro. 
a  new  town  situated  on  the  Yadkin,  or  Peedee  River,  in  Anson  county,  near 
the  South  Carolina  line.  The  town  is  now  defunct,  but  it  had  early  hopes 
and  prospects  of  a  vigorous  life.  As  late  as  ISIS  a  stock  comnany  was 
formed  to  boom  the  place,  with  the  expectation  of  developing  navigation  on 
the  Peedee  above  and  below,  thus  securing  the  trade  of  a  large  territory  north- 
ward in  the  Yadkin  Valley.  Also  it  expected  to  draw  trade  from  the  east- 
ward toward  Fayetteville.  which  was  then  a  trade  center  on  the  Cane  Fear, 
and  from  the  westward  toward  Charlotte.  Archibald  D.  Murphy,  the  "father" 
of  internal  improvements  in  North  Carolina  was  a  shareholder  in  t*>e  enter- 
prise to  boom  Sneedsboro  and  its  chief  promoter,  it  being  a  "side  enterprise" 
of  the  Yadkin  Xnvigition  Comnnny.  which  was  organized  in  July,  1818,  with 
Murphy  as  president.  In  1819  Murphy  confidently  expected  Sneedsboro  to  be 
the  great  inland  town  of  the  state.  These  bright  hopes  were  doomed  to  disao- 
poirtment.  Soon  after  Murphy's  death  in  1S32  the  "town"  disappeared  from 
the  map. 


88  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

3  Charles  Wilson  Harris,  born  to  Robert  Wilson  Harris  and  his  wife,  Abi- 
gail Hackett  Harris,  April,  1802.  The  young  Harris  here  introduced  was  the 
eldest  child  of  Kobert  Harris  and  later  became  a  most  useful  citizen  of  the 
state.  At  early  manhood  he  entered  Princton  and  remained  some  years,  then 
studied  medicine  and  becoming  a  physician  settled  for  practice  at  his  grand- 
fathers old  place  at  "Mill  Grove,"  on  Rocky  River  in  Cabarrus.  In  1828  he 
married  Mary  Barringer,  sister  of  General  Rufus  Barringer,  of  Judge  Victor 
Barringer  of  the  Foreign  Court,  at  Cairo,  Egypt,  and  of  Daniel  Moreau 
Barringer,  representative  in  Congress,  1843-1840,  Minister  of  the  United 
States  to  Spain  under  the  Taylor-Fillmore  Administration,  and  Delegate  to  the 
Peace  Congress  of  1861  on  the  eve  of  the  Civil  War.  From  the  union  of 
Charles  Wilson  Harris  and  Mary  Barringer  sprang  a  family  of  twelve 
children,  the  fifth  of  whom  was  Harriett  Hackett  Harris,  who  married  Cap- 
tain A.  .7.  Seagle  and  died  in  Chapel  Hill,  December  1914,  at  the  home  of  her 
daughter.  Mrs.  A.  C.  Mcintosh. 

■•Abigail  O'Neil  Hackett,  wife  of  Robert  W.  Harris. 


Halifax,  May  22nd,  1803. 
Dr.  Brother, 

I  set  off  in  a  few  days  for  Norfolk,  &  snail  endeavor  to 
find  my  way  to  Bermuda  or  the  Bahamas.1  In  a  second 
will  I  have  left  you  my  Executor  &  so  arranged  the  business 
that  you  can  complete  it  at  one  journey.  My  will  is  in  Mr. 
Brown's  possession.  He  has  promised  to  have  it  proved. 
Should  I  rest  my  bones  in  the  delightful  climate  I  steer  for, 
you  can  come  down  at  a  succeeding  court  and  settle  all. 
I  carry  between  $700  &  800  with  me. 
I  have  empowered  Mr.  Brown  to  receive  the  following 
sums  for  me: — 

In  Northampton  £  25 

In  Martin  £     6 

Court  of  Equity  £  50 

From  Const,  (able)  Alsbrooke  £  13 
In  Halifax  £  22 

In  Halifax  Sup.  £  57 

From  Const,  (able)  Horton      £  50 

I  left  bond  with   ( ?)     £119 

Accts.  worth  £92  19s  Gd 

And  Mr.  Brown  owes  me  by  promissory  note  2G4£  10s, 
amounting  to  69 9£  9s  6d.  I  have  stated  this  for  your  satis- 
faction ;  some  small  loss  is  to  be  expected  in  several  of  the 
items.     Besides  on  my  books,  horse,  chair,  harness  and  bed. 


The  Haeeis  Lettees  89 

The  little  negro  girl,2  I  could  not  provide  for  her  in  my 
absence  and  sold  her  to  the  owner  of  her  father. 

I  have  been  entirely  incapable  of  attending  to  electioneer- 
ing subjects,  but  I  may  safely  pronounce  that  if  Alston  and 
Jacocks  (republicans)  both  stand  a  poll,3  Gen.  Davie  will 
be  elected. 

Present  my  best  respects  to  Abby. 
I  am,  Your  brother, 

Ciiaeles  W.  Haeeis. 
Mr.  Robert  W.  Harris, 
(P.  Master) 

Sneedsboro,  N".  Carolina. 


1  Charles  W.  Harris  sailed  from  Norfolk  on  the  3rd  of  July  for  the 
Bahamas,  where  he  trusted  the  climate  would  favorably  affect  his  now  rapidly 
declining  health.  Unconsciously  this  letter  carries  much  of  pathos,  since  it 
presents  a  brave  spirit,  well  aware  of  his  meagre  chances  for  life,  setting  his 
affairs  in  order  for  the  end.  His  sojourn  at  Nassau,  in  the  Bahamas  proved 
disappointing  in  its  effects  upon  his  malady  (tuberculosis)  and  he  returned 
to  North  Carolina  in  the  latter  part  of  the  year,  going  to  his  brother's  home 
at  Sneedsboro,  where  he  died,  January  13th.  1804,  in  the  thirty-third  year  of 
his  age. 

2  This  little  girl  was  evidently  a  slave  purchased  by  Harris  to  look  after 
his  comfort  in  the  bachelor's  home  he  had  established  in  a  house  built  by 
him  in  1800  upon  a  part  of  the  property  owned  at  that  time  with  Mr. 
Brown,  his  friend  and  fellow-attorney  in  Halifax.  Presumably  he  had  now 
sold  his  share  in  this  real  estate  to  Brown,  this  accounting  for  the  promissory 
note  for  264  pounds  and  10  shillings  referred  to  above. 

3  In  the  Congressional  election  of  August,  1803,  (8th  Congress)  Willis 
Alston,  representative  of  the  Halifax  District  since  1799,  had  a  rival  as- 
pirant in  his  own  party  that  threatened  to  divide  the  party  strength  and 
give  the  district  to  the  Federalists.  The  danger  of  Republican  defeat  was  the 
greater  in  that  General  Wm.  R.  Davie,  the  strong  man  of  his  party  in  the 
state,  was  the  Federalist  contestant  for  the  seat.  Tis  friends  generally  ex- 
pected Davie's  great  popularity  and  the  Republican  division  to  be  decisive  in 
their  candidate's  favor.  However,  their  hopes  were  destined  to  disappoint- 
ment. Nathaniel  Macon,  state  Eepublican  leader,  and  speaker  of  the  National 
House  of  Representatives  since  1801,  interested  himself  in  the  situation  (See 
Dodd,  Life  of  Nathaniel  Macon,  181).  Jacocks  was  in^uenced  to  withdraw, 
thus  giving  Alston  a  clear  field  against  Davie  with  the  result  that  the  latter 
was  beaten.  He  now  retired  from  public  life  and  two  years  later  gave  up  his 
practice  of  law  for  quiet  repose  upon  his  South  Carolina  estate,  Tivoli,  near 
Lancaster. 


Bahamas, 
New  Providence.    Nassau,1  July  17,  1803. 
Deae  Beothee, 

I  arrived  here  safely  on  the  14th  inst.  with  the  short 
passage  of  eleven  days,  without  meeting  any  Frenchmen.2 


90  James  Sprunt  Historical  Publications 

I  have  not  been  here  long  enough  to  shake  off  the  effects  of 
my  voyage,  or  to  form  any  conjecture  respecting  the  opera- 
tion of  the  climate  on  my  constitution.  I  feel  the  heat  ex- 
cessive, no  rain,  everything  parched  up. 

The  news  of  war3  has  been  here  about  eight  days.  I  am 
told  it  has  produced  a  great  alteration  for  the  better.  It  has 
given  life  to  business;  before  the  schooner  in  which  I  came 
anchored,  we  had  a  press  gang  aboard4  which  took  all  the 
white  sailors  except  one. 

I  wish  I  could  enclose  some  of  the  fruits  which  abound 
here.    Present  me  to  sister  Abby  and  Charles. 

Yours, 


Charles  W.  Harris. 


Mr.  Robert  W.  Harris, 
Post-Master. 

Sneedsborough, 
N.  Carolina. 
U.  States. 


1  See  note  1   to  preceding  letter. 

2  See  note  4  below. 

3  The  Treaty  of  Amiens,  March  25,  1802,  had  brought  the  first  lull  in  hos- 
tilities between  England  and  France  since  1793.  And  this  peace  was  only 
temporary.  May  18,  1£03,  England  declared  war  anew  upon  Prance  and  did 
not  again   sheath  her  sword  until   Napoleon's  first  abdication,  April  11,   1814. 

4  Presumably  Harris  sailed  from  Norfolk  for  Nassau  upon  an  English 
ship,  hence  the  reference  to  the  impressment  of  the  crew  of  his  vessel  as 
well  as  the  inferential  fear  of  meeting  a  French  vessel.  Nevertheless,  Eng- 
land did  not  now  long  content  herself  with  impressment  of  the  soldiers  of  her 
own  merchant  marine  into  service,  but  began  that  course  with  English  sub- 
jects found  in  merchant  service  under  the  flag  of  the  United  States,  thus 
making  up  one  of  the  issues  which  led  to  the  War  of  1812. 


I  arrived  here1  on  Sunday  last  after  a  tolerable  agreeable 
journey  of  two  weeks.  I  am  well  pleassd  with  the  rout  and 
shall  always  prefer  it.  I  wrote  from  Fayetteville  inclosing 
one  thousand  dollars  with  directions  to  whom  to  pay  it,  which 
I  hope  you  received.  I  have  not  sold  a  bale  of  cotton  nor  is 
there  a  prospect  of  doing  it  very  soon.  I  shall  probably  pur- 
chase very  few  goods.  It  will  not  however  occasion  any  dis- 
appointment in  the  payment  of  the  money  I  owe.  I  expect 
in  a  few  days  to  receive  a  letter  from  you  to  hear  from  my 


The  Harris  Letters  91 

dear  family.  Kiss  our  dear  little  children,  tell  them  I  love 
them  as  much  as  if  I  saw  them  every  day  and  that  I  will 
bring  them  pretty  little  books  and  good  shoes.  I  am  my  dear 
Abby  with  the  most  sincere  love  your  affectionate 

Husband 

Robt.  W.  Harris. 
Mrs.  Eobt.  W.  Harris, 
Sneedsboro,  1ST.  C. 
Anson  County. 


1  This  letter  was  furnished  to  the  collection  by  Mrs.  A.  C.  Mcintosh,  of 
Chapel  Hill,  a  great-grand-daughter  of  the  writer,  Robert  Wilson  Harris.  It 
was  written  from  Philadelphia  and,  though  without  date,  must  be  placed  be- 
tween 1S02.  when  he  became  a  resident  at  Sneedsboro,  and  the  date  of  his 
death  there  in  1812,  probably  nearer  the  latter. 


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